SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts The American International College women's basketball team used a strong defensive performance to silence The College of Saint Rose in a 52-41 win at the Henry Butova Gymnasium on Wednesday, February 24.
FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 52, Saint Rose 41
Records: AIC improves to 5-1; Saint Rose drops to 0-4
Location: Henry Butova Gymnasium, Springfield, Massachusetts
KEY STATS:
Saint Rose:
Nina Fedullo: 15 points, 9-of-9 at the free-throw line
Becca Townes: Eight points
AIC:
Kayla Robinson: 15 points, three steals
Destine Perry: 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, six steals
Nora Young: Nine points
Sara Guntin Barriero: Nine points, five rebounds
HIGHLIGHTS:
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- After AIC missed its first two shots, Kaileigh Hunt sank a layup for Saint Rose to open the scoring; rookie Nora Young responded with a basket of her own on AIC's next possession. Both teams missed several of their next chances, with the score only getting to 8-7 AIC midway through the quarter after a jumper by senior Destine Perry.
- Perry extended AIC's lead on the team's next possession, drilling a three at 5:38, but that would all but do it for the scoring in the frame; Hunt hit a layup in the final minute to cut AIC's lead to 11-9 at the first intermission.
- Field goals were hard to come by in the early stages of the second as well, with the first field goals for AIC and Saint Rose coming from junior Sara Guntin Barriero and Yvonne Boyd more than 3:30 into the frame. Perry sparked a small run for AIC with a steal and jumper and then a three on the following possession to give AIC a 20-14 edge with 4:10 left in the half.
- The scoring slowed again as both teams defended well; Hunt hit the only jumper left in the half at 7:54, and the remaining points were free throws as AIC took a 23-17 edge into halftime.
- Saint Rose came out of the break with two quick baskets in the first minute to cut into AIC's advantage, but Young replied with a three from perry at 1:18 to rebuild the lead. Robinson then stole the ball from Jenissa Encarnacion and went down on a fast break, then rebounded the miss on Saint Rose's next shot and took that down the floor to score as well at 6:16 to build AIC's lead to 30-21.
- The Golden Knights were down but not out and went on a 10-point run as AIC's offense went cold, but most of it came at the line as Nina Fedullo sank six free throws and Becca Townes hit a jumper and two free throws in a 2:18 stretch.
- AIC's next points were also at the charity stripe, as Young put her team back ahead with two freebies with 1:40 left in the frame. Robinson ended the drought completely with a jumper on the next possession after a steal by Perry, and junior Kyla Smith hit a free throw with 0.2 left on the clock to send AIC to the fourth up 35-31.
- Saint Rose hit the first basket of the fourth to cut back into AIC's lead, and then tied the game two possessions later on a three by Isabel Sanchez, the first deep shot to land all game for the Golden Knights. The Yellow Jackets slammed the door after that, however, holding Saint Rose off the scoreboard completely for almost seven minutes as the team went on a 12-point run featuring five points each from Guntin Barriero and Smith and tremendous defense that included multiple steals by Perry.
- The Golden Knights finally scored again on a three by Townes with 1:13 left in regulation, but it was too little, too late as AIC closed out a 52-41 victory.
HALF AND HALF:
- Perry scored all 13 of her points in the first half, while Robinson notched 11 of her 15 in the second half.
- The Golden Knights shot 6-of-24, an even 25 percent, from the field in both halves.
POSTGAME QUOTES:
NEXT UP:
- AIC's next game is scheduled for Friday, March 5 at 4:30 p.m. at Franklin Pierce University.
