Merchant Marine - 56, Farmingdale State - 41
Farmingdale, N.Y. - On Thursday evening, the Farmingdale State women's basketball team played host to conference opponent Merchant Marine and fell, 56-41. The Rams now stand at 0-6 overall and 0-3 in Skyline play, while the Mariners improved to 5-0, 3-0.
Down 3-2 early in the game, the Rams used a Nia Miller (Brooklyn, N.Y.) layup and 3-pointer by sophomore guard Jami Cardenas (Bay Shore, N.Y.) to open up a 7-3 advantage. With 1:12 remaining in the first and the Mariners up 11-9, a Miller jumper evened the score before Merchant Marine closed the quarter with back-to-back baskets to go up by four.
In a low scoring second quarter, Farmingdale State was outscored 13-4 and went into halftime trailing, 28-15. For the Rams, Miller tallied a team-high six first half points, while the Skyline Conference's leading scorer freshman center Lauren Hunter (Tinley Park, Ill.) scored 10 points and had five rebounds for Merchant Marine.
Trailing 38-25 with 3:19 left to play in the third, a pair of Alexis Hunter (Brooklyn, N.Y.) free-throws and a 3 from Cardenas on FSC's next two possessions cut the Mariners lead to eight, 38-30. Merchant Marine closed the quarter with six straight points on back-to-back Kiana Vega (El Paso, Texas) jumpers and two free-throws by Taylor Hightower (White Plains, Md.) to go into the fourth quarter ahead by 14, 44-30.
After the Mariners opened up their largest of the game, 54-31, with 5:17 remaining on the clock, the Rams answered with a 10-0 run to close within 13 at 54-41. Farmingdale State was held scoreless over the final 2:49 as they fell, 56-41.
Miller finished the night with 11 points and a game-high seven assists, while Hunter and senior guard Selena LaFranca (Smithtown, N.Y.) each added eight points.
Hunter recorded a double-double with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds and Hightower tallied eight points, seven assists and 12 boards for Merchant Marine.
FSC next will host Purchase in a conference game on Saturday, December 8th at noon.
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