The Yeshiva University women’s basketball team earned its second consecutive Skyline Conference victory, defeating St. Joseph’s College Long Island by a score of 69-58, at Nat Holman Gymnasium last week. The Maccabees advance to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the Skyline, while the Golden Eagles drop to 2-7, and 1-2 in the conference.
It was a historic evening, as senior forward Michal Alge grabbed her 1,000th career rebound during the first quarter. She becomes the first women’s player in YU history to achieve this milestone. For the game, she produced a double-double with 15 points and 18 boards, while blocking three shots, forcing just as many steals and distributing two assists. The Boston native now has 1,014 rebounds in her illustrious career.
“I am very proud of Michal,” Yeshiva University head coach Michael Alon said. “A player who is 5’6” and gets 1,000 rebounds in college basketball at any level is unbelievable. She is a special player.”
Also producing a double-double was junior forward Tehilla Teigman, as she led all players with 22 points and brought down 10 rebounds. The Houston native also blocked two shots and collected three steals. Senior guard Nicole Bick also had a big game, dropping 20 points, distributing a game-high seven assists and bringing down four caroms.
In the first quarter, the Golden Eagles narrowed the Maccabees’ lead to 9-8. YU responded by scoring six unanswered points, capped off by a pair of free throws from Teigman, to extend the home team’s lead to 15-8.
With less than two minutes remaining in the quarter, Alge grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed shot. After missing a field goal attempt of her own, she grabbed her second offensive board of the possession, fourth of the game and the 1,000th of her career. After she grabbed the milestone rebound, she was fouled and sent to the line, where she hit both shots from the charity stripe to increase Yeshiva’s lead to 19-10, with 1:53 remaining in the period.
The Maccabees scored the first seven points of the second quarter, as a layup by Teigman gave YU a commanding 28-12 lead, with 6:39 to go until the half. With less than two minutes to go in the stanza, Alge took a feed from sophomore guard Adina Rosenberg and converted a layup, while being fouled, to equal Yeshiva’s largest lead of the half at 38-22. The two teams went into the intermission with the Blue and White up by 16.
The two teams exchanged baskets throughout the third quarter. The highlight of the period was Alge receiving a pass from Bick and converting a layup, while being fouled. She hit the free throw to complete the three-point play to make the score 52-33 in favor of the Macs.
A pair of free throws by Alge in the fourth period gave Yeshiva its largest lead of the game, at 62-41, with 7:24 remaining. The Golden Eagles chipped away and managed to pull to within 11, at 65-54, with 2:28 to play. However, Yeshiva recovered and went on a run. Alge’s layup off a feed from Bick all but clinched the game, putting her team up 69-54, with 1:23 to go. YU went on to earn its third conference victory of the season, 69-58.
For the game, sophomore forward Lindsay Brandwein grabbed seven rebounds to go along with two points, while sophomore guard Chana Boltax drained two shots from beyond the arc and clutched three caroms. Senior guard Penny Rabin scored four points, while Rosenberg forced a steal and had a rebound. Junior guard Elizabeth Pavel and first-year forward Ellie Parker each had a pair of boards. Sophomore guard Leah Shulman had a rebound of her own, while sophomore forward Celia Cohen had two boards and just as many steals.
By Anthony J. O’Hagan
Anthony J. O’Hagan is the sports information director at Yeshiva University.
