Farmingdale State - 90, Purchase - 64
Purchase, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's basketball team defeated Purchase College, 90-64, this afternoon and improved to 6-1 in the Skyline Conference and 7-7 overall.
Tied 10-10 midway through the first quarter, Rams junior guard Alexis Antonacci (Plainview, N.Y.) knocked down a 3-pointer before senior forward Essence Casey (Huntington Station, N.Y.) was fouled and hit a pair at the line to put Farmingdale State ahead 15-10.
Following a layup by Panthers (4-6, 2-4 Skyline) junior guard Amber Jones (Bronx, N.Y.), FSC scored the final nine points of the quarter to take a 24-12 advantage into the second.
Leading 28-19 with 6:02 left in the half, back-to-back 3-pointers by Casey and Antonacci brought the Rams advantage to 15, 34-19.
After three straight Purchase layups cut the deficit to 34-25, Farmingdale State closed the quarter on an 11-4 run and took a 16-point lead into the halftime break, 45-29.
In the first two minutes of the third quarter, FSC scored 10 straight points; including a pair of 3-pointers by senior guard Liz Durchhalter (Franklin Square, N.Y.), to open up a 26-point edge.
The Rams took a 70-46 advantage into the fourth quarter and maintained at least an 18-point lead the rest of the way en route to the conference victory, 90-64.
Casey led the way for the Rams tallying a new career-high with 25 points, to go along with 13 rebounds and six steals. Antonacci totaled 18 points, six assists and four steals, while senior guard Kaelyn Ward (East Hampton, N.Y.) (16), Durchhalter (15) and freshman guard Khandra Rhoden (Brentwood, N.Y.) (12) all finished with double-digit point totals for FSC.
The Panthers were led by senior guard Kayla Ortiz (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who registered a team-high 21 points and seven steals, and Jones, who ended with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Farmingdale State next hosts Skyline opponent Mount Saint Vincent on Wednesday, January 10th at 5:00 p.m.
*****