Box Score
BRONX, N.Y. - The Lehman College women's basketball team cruised by the City College of New York, 73-48, in the final regular season game of the year, on Tuesday evening in the APEX.
The Lightning have clinched the fifth seed in the final CUNY Athletic Conference standings, and will take on fourth seed Hunter College on the road, in the Quarterfinals of the CUNYAC Championships, on Sunday February 23.
The Lightning (16-9, 10-6 CUNYAC) trailed in the game only once, but a three-point shot from freshman guard Genesis Liberato (Santo Domingo, D.R./Liceo Ramon Matias Mella) put Lehman up for good, 7-5, just under four minutes into the game. It was smooth sailing from there, as Liberato continued her hot start by nailing two more three-point daggers to increase Lehman's lead to 17-6, with 12:25 left in the opening half. The Beavers (10-15, 5-11 CUNYAC) could not build any momentum and Lehman went into the locker room up by 20.
In the second half, junior forward Shalaya Nieves (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney) laid the ball up and in to put Lehman up by 30, the largest lead of the game, with 5:37 left in the contest. CCNY managed to decrease the deficit but Lehman still won by a wide margin, 73-48.
Nieves tallied a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds. CUNYAC Rookie of the Year candidate Amely Del Rosario (Bronx, N.Y./John F. Kennedy) scored 18 points, dished out four assists, blocked three shots, and forced two steals. Sophomore guard Jennifer Navarro (Jamaica, N.Y./Grover Cleveland) produced 15 points and six assists, while sophomore forward Amani Lightbourne (Elmsford, N.Y./Alexander Hamilton) added 16 points. Liberato tallied 14 points, including four three-point field goals.
Prior to tonight's game, Lehman presented a check for over $1,300 to the American Cancer Society. The funds came from the 7th Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball Classic, which Lehman hosted in late December.
