NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Monroe College Women’s Basketball team improved to 16-5 by winning its fifth straight game with an 82-64 victory over Union County on Thursday. The Owls had defeated the Mustangs earlier in the season.
Monroe jumped out to a 6-0 lead on baskets from Jada Banks and Shania Johnson. After an Owls layup, the Mustangs scored four more to lead 10-2. With 4:15 left in the first quarter, the lead got up to double digits when a Cristina Soriano foul shot made the score 14-4. Monroe led 18-17 after the first period.
Union County took control early in the second, taking the lead and pushing it to 10 points with 2:17 remaining. Down 37-27, Monroe tallied off eight of the next 10 points to trail at the half, 39-35. The eight points came from Johnson, Lisana Burnett and Aneisha Lyons.
Monroe turned up the defensive in10sity limiting the Owls to six points for the quarter. Burnett connected with Banks for a bucket that tied the game at 39-39 with 7:54 left. A layup from Fatoumata Coulibaly with 4:29 on the clock got the lead up to 10 points, 51-41. A three-point basket by Johnson in the final minute gave Monroe its largest lead, 22 points. They led at the end of the third, 63-45.
The Mustangs kept control in the fourth, never letting Union get closer than 14 points. Monroe went on to win 82-64.
Soriano led the team with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Johnson scored 18 and had six assists. Banks grabbed four steals and totaled 10 points.
The Monroe College Women’s Basketball team returns to action on Saturday, February 4, when they host Niagara County CC at 1:00 pm.
