HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 6, 2010) – Sophomore guard Dawn Garcia netted a game-high 14 points to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team past Brooklyn College in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Championship semifinal at Canavan Arena in Hoboken, N.J. Stevens, now 18-10 on the season, advances to the championship game slated for Sunday, March 7, while the Bulldogs finish the season 17-11. The Ducks will face sixth-seeded New York University, which defeated seventh-seeded Drew University, 64-54, in the day's other semifinal matchup.
Brooklyn's Frances Lyons (Brooklyn, N.Y.) staked the Bulldogs to an early 4-0 lead with back-to-back layups, before Garcia nailed a three to put Stevens on the board. Still up by one with just over 14 minutes to go, senior Priscilla Ramirez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) converted a three-point play the old fashioned way to put the Bulldogs up four.
Stevens responded with an 8-3 run, pulling ahead on another Garcia trey at the 8:12 mark. The lead exchanged hands five times over the next two and a half minutes of action before Garcia hit her third three of the half to put Stevens on top 18-16. Five straight Ariel Smith (Newburgh, N.Y.) points put the Bulldogs ahead by three at 4:44, but a Victoria O'Connor jumper and a Paige Armstrong bucket to close out the half staked Stevens to a slim, 22-21 margin heading into the locker room.
Stevens sophomore forward Jillian Barrett opened up scoring in the second, with a bucket at 17:13, forcing a Brooklyn timeout. Down three after a Garcia jumper, junior guard Ashley Allen (Sunnyside, N.Y.) hit a game-tying trey before a Barrett three-point play put Stevens back on top by three.
The Bulldogs answered by netting the game's next five points on a Sabrina Washington (Elmira, N.Y.) bucket and an Amber Gordon (Brooklyn, N.Y.) three-ball, but Garcia tallied a triple of her own on the ensuing Ducks' possession to put Stevens ahead, 32-31.
Down, 37-36, with just under eight minutes to go, Stevens mounted a 10-4 run, capped off by a Barrett layup to go up five at the 3:51 mark. Up six after a Kathleen Schuckers free-throw with 21 seconds remaining, the Ducks surrendered a Smith basket, making it 49-45, before Barrett converted a three-point play to seal the Stevens' victory.
Barrett notched her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Armstrong finished with 11 points, six boards, and five steals. O'Connor had eight points and six boards to help Stevens avenge a loss to the Brooklyn earlier this season.
Lyons had a game-high 12 rebounds and 14 points on 7-for-11 shooting, while Smith added 10 points and eight rebounds in the loss.
ECAC Metro Championship Semifinal: NYU 64, Drew 54
New York University earned a berth in the 2010 ECAC Metro Division III Women's Basketball Championship game with a 64-54 triumph over Drew University. The Violets improved to 15-12 on the season with the win, while the Rangers wrap up their 2009-10 campaign with a 15-12 overall mark.
NYU Junior guard Bianca Storts (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) had a team-high 16 points, while junior guard Chelsea Blake (Hamden, Conn.) finished with10 rebounds and four steals. Senior forward Grace Carmen (Fallston, Md.) tallied 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals, while Makenzie Hirz (Santa Ana, Calif.) had 10 points and seven boards.
Rangers' junior forward Jessica Reid (Nazareth, Pa.) led all Drew scorers with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while freshman Eden Blazovic (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) finished with 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting. Sophomore guard Danielle Barber (Cape May Court House, N.J.) rounded out the list of Rangers in double-figures with 10.
