Merchant Marine - 55, Farmingdale State - 50
Kings Point, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's basketball team traveled to Skyline Conference opponent Merchant Marine on Tuesday evening and fell, 55-50. FSC dropped to 1-3 overall and 1-2 in the Skyline, while the Mariners improved to a perfect 4-0, 3-0.
The Rams trailed 13-9 with 3:42 left in the first quarter and responded with five straight points from senior guard Anna Zaborowska (East Patchogue, N.Y.) to go in front, 14-13.
With the game tied at 15-15 after one quarter, Farmingdale State freshman forward Layla Mendoza (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.) opened the second with a jumper to take the lead.
Merchant Marine answered with an 8-2 run over the next five minutes to go in front, 23-19.
With just three minutes to play in the half and FSC still down by four, 25-21, freshman guard Erin Conte (Melville, N.Y.) knocked down a 3-pointer before a layup from Mendoza gave the Rams a 26-25 advantage.
The score was knotted at 26-26 to open the third quarter and the Mariners used a 3 and a layup to take a five-point lead.
Over the next 5:18, Merchant Marine outscored Farmingdale State, 11-6, as they extended their lead to 10, 42-32.
The Rams were down by nine to start the fourth quarter and used back-to-back baskets by Mendoza and a 3-pointer from junior guard Mackenzie Tierney (Levittown, N.Y.) to close within two, 45-43.
Merchant Marine jumped back up to a seven-point lead, 50-43, with 6:12 to play in the fourth, but five-straight from FSC once again made it a two-point game.
After back-to-back jumpers by the Mariners in the final minute-and-a-half put them up by six with just 33 seconds left, the Rams were unable to score on their next possession as USMMA went on for the 55-50 victory.
Mendoza tallied a game-high 19 points, to go along with eight rebounds and two blocks. Zaborowska registered a season-high 17 points and nine rebounds and Tierney added five points, two assists and two rebounds in her season debut. Junior guard Alexis Jackson (Central Islip, N.Y.) recorded three points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in the loss.
Freshman guard Grace Jackson (Parma, Idaho) led the Mariners with 17 points to go along with seven rebounds, while sophomore guard Jalen Douglas (Waldorf, Md.) notched 11 points and nine boards.
FSC next will travel to CCNY for a non-conference game on Monday, November 29th at 6:00 p.m.
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