Farmingdale State - 71, Purchase - 63
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's basketball team played host to Purchase in a Skyline Conference matchup this afternoon and earned a 71-63 victory. The Rams improved to 1-1 in the Skyline, while the Panthers dropped to 0-2 in conference play.
During the halftime break, FSC's Jami Cardenas was honored. She graduated in 2021 during the cancelled season due to COVID-19.
The Rams (1-2) opened the game with back-to-back layups by freshman forwards Layla Mendoza (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.) and Kalena Ricketts (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) to take a quick 4-0 advantage.
After three points from Purchase (0-3) sophomore forward Shamoni Berrios (Bronx, N.Y.), Ricketts tallied another layup to put FSC ahead, 6-3.
Leading 12-11 with 4:06 left in the first quarter, FSC senior guard Anna Zaborowska (East Patchogue, N.Y.) hit a jumper before Ricketts recorded two straight layups gave the Rams an 18-11 advantage.
Ricketts registered two more baskets before the end of the first as she had 12 of Farmingdale State's 22 first quarter points.
FSC led 22-15 at the start of the second quarter and used a Zaborowska jump shot to extend their lead to nine.
The Panthers trailed by 11, 30-19, with six minutes remaining in the half and scored five straight points to cut their deficit to six, 30-24.
Farmingdale State took a six-point lead, 35-29, into the halftime break and opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer from Zaborowska to go in front, 38-29.
With FSC ahead, 41-35, with 4:38 left in the third, Berrios notched back-to-back baskets for Purchase to close within two, 41-39.
The Rams responded with a Mendoza layup and a Ricketts three-point play to close the quarter and take a 46-39 advantage into the fourth.
Junior guard Alexis Jackson (Central Islip, N.Y.) hit one free-throw and Mendoza registered a layup to open the fourth as Farmingdale State went in front by 10, 49-39, with eight minutes to play.
Over the next three minutes, the Panthers outscored the Rams, 12-5, as they cut the deficit to just three, 54-51.
After a Mendoza point, Berrios tallied a layup and Shadai Plowden (Yonkers, N.Y.) hit a free-throw as Purchase closed within one, 55-54.
Jackson answered with a pair of layups before one from Zaborowska gave FSC a 61-54 advantage.
In the final minute, Jackson was 6-for-6 at the free-throw line as Farmingdale State went on for the 71-63 Skyline victory.
Mendoza finished with a game-high 19 points, to go along with 11 rebounds, while Ricketts tallied 18 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and one steal. Zaborowska registered 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists and Jackson had 15 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore guard Stacy Papantoniou (Whitestone, N.Y.) added two points, six rebounds and three assists for FSC.
Plowden and Berrios recorded 19 and 17 points, respectively, for the Panthers.
The Rams next will travel to Merchant Marine for a Skyline Conference game on Tuesday, November 23rd at 6:00 p.m.
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