Rams Continues Their Offensive Success, Finishing East Region Challenge with Win Over Host Molloy
ROCKVILLE, N.Y. - The Thomas Jefferson University women's basketball team (2-0) would conclude their East Region Challenge competition as they would continue their offensive attack to begin this season, winning 81-59 in non-conference competition to Molloy University (1-1) this Sunday afternoon.
WHAT HAPPENED
Both teams would trade the lead early on at 8-8 before Molloy earned a free throw and layup to be ahead 11-8 3:19 into the contest. A Sam Yencha layup and Morgan Robinson shot put the Rams ahead 14-13 with 4:55 left in the first quarter. After a Lions jumper gave them back the lead, Jefferson would go on an 11-2 run to be ahead 25-17, with Emma Kuczynski earning six of her points during that stretch. Janel Moore would hit a three for Molloy, but Kuczynski and Haley Meinel made two more shots before the end of the first to be up 29-20.
The Rams would begin to get their momentum going, starting off the second quarter on another 11-2 run that saw four Yencha points and a Meinel and-one to make Jefferson's lead 40-22 just 3:38 into the period. The Lions would have their own and-one plus a three-pointer to cut the Ram's lead, Cassie Murphy responded with another and-one for Jefferson while Emily Keehfuss would hit a three as well to keep the game at 46-30 with just 3:13 left before the break. Both teams would trade points the rest of the way, going into the half with a 50-34 Ram lead.
Molloy would have a shot made and a three-pointer early in the third, but Jefferson would capitalize on the Lions mistakes, converting on 11-of-11 free throws in the third quarter. The free throws generated 11 of the Ram's 17 points in the third quarter while Murphy, Yencha, and Tori Nigro would make their shots to help Jefferson head into the last quarter up 67-45.
Keehfuss would begin the third hitting a three-pointer to get the Rams up 70-45. Molloy would not stay down even with a double digit deficit as the Lions scored six points in a row to have it at 70-51. The Rams would keep their foot on the gas as Meinel and Kaya Burkhart would hit their own three's in the quarter as Jefferson would hold onto their lead, winning the contest 81-59 and be 2-0 for the third consecutive year as well as the fifth time in the last six season.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Haley Meinel: 19 points on 6-of-16 shooting (1-2 3PT), 3 steals, 2 rebounds, 6-6 FT
Sam Yencha: 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 6-6 FT
Cassie Murphy: 14 points on 5-of-12 shooting, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4-4 FT
Emma Kuczynski: 14 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 3 rebounds, 6-7 FT
UP NEXT
Jefferson will stay on the road as they travel to Shippensburg, Pa. this Wednesday, November 15 as they take on Shippensburg University in non-conference action at 6 p.m.
