Comeback effort comes up short for Women's Basketball at Molloy

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, New York - The American International College women's basketball team had a comeback effort fall just short in a 56-55 loss at Molloy University on Thursday, January 18.

AIC is now 10-6 overall.

Nora Young and Briana Lee hit field goals early to give AIC a lead, but a three from Janel Moore put the Lions up 6-5 and opened a nine-point run. Another run of eight in a row helped stake the home squad to a 19-10 lead after one.

The teams traded threes early in the second, with Tia-Marie Martinez countering another Moore triple, followed by a pair of Lee field goals, but the next 11 points belonged to the Lions. Young snapped the skid again with two buckets, but AIC headed to the locker room down 35-21.

To have any chance of a comeback, AIC needed to win the third and did in a big way. Lee started the scoring with a feed from Ruzgar Christina Boyle, who then swiped the ball away to set up Martinez. The Lions countered again, and led as much as 47-29 before AIC's offense erupted. Boyle and AJ Washington each knocked down threes to start a 14-point AIC surge capped by Rhaymi Porter hitting a jumper to cut the deficit to 47-43 heading to the fourth.

Ahliya Phillips wasted no time in knocking down a three to get AIC within one to start the final period, and from there it was a back-and-forth, with the Lions making shots only to have AIC retort. The deficit still sat at one with 2:46 to go, but it was not meant to be as the Yellow Jackets could not find a final bucket to take the game.

Lee had a monster outing, scoring 16 points and grabbing 16 boards for a double-double; she collected 11 offensive rebounds, and also added three steals. Porter snagged five boards, two steals, and four blocks, while Young had eight points, six boards, and three blocks. Boyle and Martinez each scored eight, with Boyle also dishing four assists, and Phillips had seven points and a career-best nine rebounds as well as three swipes. 

The team returns to Northeast-10 Conference play on Saturday, January 20 at 1:30 p.m. at Saint Anselm College.