OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – Senior guard Aracely Cruz (Union City, N.J./Union Hill) scored 17 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead Stevens Institute of Technology to a 55-46 win over SUNY-Old Westbury on Saturday in a Skyline Conference women’s basketball game at the Clark Athletic Center.

Stevens improves to 9-9 overall and 4-3 in the conference.  Old Westbury falls to 9-10 overall and 4-6 in Skyline play.

Stevens never trailed in the game.  Cruz knocked down a 3-pointer on the Ducks’ initial possession and junior forward Jaime Mehnert (Waldwick, N.J./Waldwick) followed with a layup to give Stevens a quick 5-0 lead.  The Ducks extended their lead to 12-4 at the 12:43 mark on one free throw by sophomore forward Emily Weaver (Prince Frederick, Md./The Calverton School).

Stevens held an eight-point lead and extended the margin to 12 points, 38-26, on a basket by Mehnert with 13:22 left in the second half.  Old Westbury went on a 10-2 run in a span of five minutes to pull within four points.  Five different players scored for the Panthers.  Ashley Embry, who had 19 points and 10 rebounds, made a pair of free throws with 7:56 left to cut the Stevens lead to 40-36.  The Ducks scored the next five points to push the lead back up to nine.

Sophomore forward Jenna Gambino (Staten Island, N.Y./St. John Villa Academy) scored 13 points off the bench for Stevens.  Bialko added 12 points and five rebounds.

The Stevens women’s basketball team is back in action on Tuesday, February 3, when it hosts Centenary College in a 6 p.m. Skyline Conference game.