Yeshiva - 77, Farmingdale State - 74
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's basketball team fell to Yeshiva, 77-74, this afternoon despite 37 points from freshman forward Layla Mendoza (Westhampton Beach, N.Y.). The Rams dropped to 1-3 in Skyline Conference play, while the Maccabees improved to 2-5.
With Yeshiva (3-5) leading 11-6 with 6:43 remaining in the first quarter, Mendoza recorded a pair of layups to close within one, 11-10.
YU answered with a 9-0 run over the next three minutes, including seven points from sophomore guard Yuval Nitzan (Gan Yavne, Israel), to take a 10-point advantage at 20-10.
After a three-point play by Mendoza, Farmingdale State (2-4) senior guard Anna Zaborowska (East Patchogue, N.Y.) recorded a layup and two free-throws to cut the Rams deficit to 20-17.
The Maccabees led 25-19 at the end of the first and opened the second quarter with seven unanswered points to go ahead, 32-19.
Leading by 12, 34-22 with five minutes left in the half, Yeshiva junior forwards Daniella Rothman (Woodmore, N.Y.) and Gabrielle Kupferman (Houston, Texas) hit back-to-back layups to go in front by 16, 38-22.
The Rams trailed 42-30 at the break as Mendoza tallied 16 first-half points. Nitzan shot 8-for-12 and had 21 points in the first 20 minutes for YU.
Over the first 3:50 of the third quarter, FSC outscored the Maccabees 9-0 to close within three points, 42-39.
Still leading by three, 58-55, to start the fourth quarter, YU used a Kupferman layup to go on top, 60-55.
Mendoza responded with four straight points to close the gap to 60-59.
With 5:58 to play, the Rams tied the score at 63-63, but Yeshiva quickly answered with a layup and 3-pointer from sophomore guard Shai Rahamim (Ramat Gan, Israel).
The Maccabees led 71-68 with 3:15 left before a free-throw and a layup allowed the Rams to once again knot the score, 71-71.
Still tied at 71-71 with 1:11 remaining, Nitzan pulled up and knocked down a 3-pointer to put YU ahead.
After each team went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line, Zaborowska was fouled with eight seconds left and hit both to make it a one-point game, 75-74.
Nitzan was fouled three seconds later and hit both at the line to go in front by three.
The Rams were unable to get a shot off in the final seconds as the Maccabees earned the 77-74 Skyline victory.
Mendoza shot 15-for-25 from the field and hit seven free-throws, to go along with seven rebounds and two steals. Her 37 points ranks seventh in school history for a single game. Freshman forward Samantha Muller (North Babylon, N.Y.) finished with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Zaborowska had 14 points, 10 rebounds and five steals. Junior guard Mackenzie Tierney (Levittown, N.Y.) tallied five points, five assists and 12 rebounds in the loss.
Nitzan recorded a game-high 41 points, to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks for Yeshiva.
The Rams next play host to Skyline Conference opponent Manhattanville on Tuesday, December 7th at 7:00 p.m.
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