After a slow start, the third seed Lehman College (16-10) women's basketball team earned a 91-69 victory over sixth seed Baruch (7-15) in the first round of the CUNYAC Post Season Tournament.
The Lightning featured a balance scoring attack as six different players tallied double figures.
Aliyah Dorsett and
Selena Lopez netted 20 apiece.
Ayanna Behagen recorded her 7th double double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Lillybeth Garcia was one assists from a double double of her own with 14 points and nine assists. Lisa and
Lynda Fields tallied 10 points apiece.
"Our press wasn't working the first quarter so we gave up on it and went to a trapping half-court defense that paid off," commented Head Coach
Eric Harrison. "They (Baruch) was using Shannon Barrett, their center to handle the ball to beat the press, however, went we changed and decided to go to another defense it paid off."
The Lightning found themselves down early 13-8 as Baruch was able to beat the Lehman pressure. However, Lehman was able to battle back and cut the deficit to one,13-12, before the Bearcats extended the lead to three, 17-14 at the end of the first quarter.
Still trailing by one three minutes into the second quarter the Lightning went on an 11-0 run to take a 31-21 lead with 5:12 to play in the half. Garcia scored six points during the stretch. Baruch was able to cut the deficit to four before the Lightning settled on a 43-37 lead at intermission.
It was all Lehman in the third quarter as the Lightning outscored the Bearcats 21-10 as Lehman scored the first seven points of the period and held a double digit lead which they did not surrender the rest of the way. Lehman built the lead up to 19, 64-45 with :25 remaining in the third.
In the fourth the Bearcats quickly cut the lead to 13, 64-51 but the Lightning answered the call with a 7-0 run and were never threatened the rest of the quarter.
Barrett led the Bearcats with 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Lehman will move on to play the College of Staten Island in the semi-finals on Wednesday night in Nat Holman Gymnasium on the campus of CCNY.
