FLUSHING, N.Y. (Jan. 19, 2019) - Great efforts from forward Lakeisha Officer and guards Kaitlyn Mahon and Lucy Tougas could not produce a victory for the Queens College women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon.
The contest between the Knights (2-14, 1-7 ECC) and the District of Columbia Firebirds (7-10, 4-3 ECC) at Fitzgerald Gymnasium featured scrappy play on both sides. Although the squads brought energy and passion, the Firebirds came out winners due to quality passing and near-perfect free-throw shooting (95% from the line).
QC entered the half down nine, 37-26, and came out sluggish in the first few minutes of the third period. After about three minutes into the quarter, the Knights found themselves behind 45-29, the largest lead of the game for UDC. Undeterred, the Knights clawed back by drawing numerous fouls on the Firebirds and getting to the charity stripe often. Tougas (19 points, six rebounds, and four assists) and Mahon (13 points, three rebounds, three assists, along with three steals) created numerous opportunities in the paint, scoring on multiple lay-ups and frustrating the District of Columbia bigs by collecting boards as well. Both played well for a full 40 minutes, a testament to their physical conditioning. The Firebirds did not help themselves in the period either, shooting only 31.3% from the field. At the end of the quarter QC had come within seven, 48-41.
The fantastic third gave Queens momentum in the fourth. Tougas continued to impress in the first three minutes, sinking a jumper and blocking two Firebird shots. One of her highlights was a hesitation move and nifty layup that drew much applause from the crowd. Her play was contagious, as other Knights began to contribute. Guard Beth Bonin's floater off of a screen at 3:30 got QC within three, 55-52, prompting a UDC timeout. Out of the break, the Firebirds would not let the home team further encroach on their lead. Strong inside play and lightning-quick fast-breaks from the visitors late in the fourth kept this game out of reach permanently; the 'Birds would head back to the nation's capital with a 71-62 win.
The first half was marked by sloppy offensive execution from both squads. Multiple travelling violations and other unforced turnovers angered coaches on both sides. But it was UDC's 2-2-1 zone press--which would fall into a 2-3--that most flustered the Knights and kept them from developing any flow on offense. Firebird shooting was another decisive factor in the half. When UDC shooters could shake free from Knights defenders they usually connected; District of Columbia shot 45.8% from the field in the first two quarters. The Firebirds were led all game by the trio of guards Natasha Roy, Maya Thomas, and Mia-Alexis Lloyd, who combined to rack up 45 points.
It was hard not to notice Officer's gritty play in the loss; she had a double-double (14 points, ten rebounds) and was the main cause behind QC's 13-6 advantage in first-half offensive boards.
Queens heads east on Long Island to Rockville Centre on Wednesday Jan. 23 to play the Molloy Lions. The ECC tilt will start at 5:00pm.
