Women’s Basketball Rises

By Ida Ynner Lagerqvist

Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team turned over their losing streak on Wednesday, Jan. 23, by beating the University of Bridgeport at home with a score of 80-74.

Music streamed from the gym 40 minutes before the game. With five consecutive losses, the team was in need of a victory. “We were really desperate to win,” junior guard Asia Turner said.

Despite the team’s eagerness, the Pioneers had a rough start. Midway through the first quarter, Bridgeport’s Purple Knights had a 10-0 lead. Bridgeport continued to pressure the Pioneers, and in the middle of the second quarter, they lead by 14 points.

Just when it looked like the Pioneers’ losing streak would continue, they turned the game in their favor. “We became more focused on stopping them from scoring and actually putting the ball in the basket,” junior forward Mikaiya Moore said. With stronger defense and offense, the Pioneers took their first lead of the evening with 42 seconds left in the second quarter (33-31).

“Basketball isn’t a five-minute game. You got to keep on playing and that’s what we did and we managed to come back and take the lead,” Turner said.

It was a close battle in the third quarter, and heading into the fourth, the Pioneers took command with a 58-49 lead. They stuck with their steady pace and, with seven minutes remaining in the game, expanded their lead to 14 points (67-53). The Purple Knights made an effort to come back in the game and reduced the Pioneers’ lead to five points with two minutes remaining, but they never managed to catch up.

Redshirt junior Taylah Hudson made the final score in the last seven seconds of game play, finalizing the score at 80-74. The players were excited to add their first victory in five games to their now 12-6 record. “It felt like it was a championship game,” Moore said. “But now we are on to the next one and we want to win the next game again.”

The Pioneers traveled to Dobbs Ferry to take on Mercy College on Saturday, Jan. 26. The game ended at 69-58 in favor of the Pioneers. The team’s next home game is Saturday, Feb. 2 against Queens College.