(yumacs.com) The Yeshiva University women’s basketball team secured a key Skyline Conference victory on Tuesday evening, defeating Purchase College by a score of 57-51, at Riesenberg Gymnasium.
The Maccabees had a strong start to the game by outscoring the Panthers, 18-8, during the first 10 minutes of the contest and then were able to hang on for the conference win.
“The women of Stern learned how to overcome adversity and pull together as one in a true team victory,” Yeshiva University Head Coach Bill Zatulskis said.
Leading the way for Yeshiva was sophomore Shai Rahamim who scored 18 points and forced four steals. Junior Daniella Rothman tallied a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Classmate Yuval Nitzan had a solid game with 10 points, a game-high seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
With the game tied at eight in the early stages of the evening, Rahamim drained a 3-point field goal to spark a 10-0 run to finish the opening quarter. Junior Noa Berkowitz capped off the strong finish by converting a layup with nine seconds left to inflate Yeshiva’s lead to 18-8 and that would be the score after the opening period.
The Maccabees’ momentum carried over into the next quarter as Berkowitz and Nitzan scored back-to-back field goals to extend YU’s hold to 22-8. However, the Panthers were able to chip away during the rest of the half, outscoring the Blue and White 11-4 in the final 7:01 to shrink the Macs’ lead to 26-19 at the break.
After the Panthers pulled to within five in the third quarter, Rahamim drained back-to-back 3-point shots to pad Yeshiva’s benefit to 35-24 with 5:40 remaining in the period. Just over two minutes later, senior Rebecca Malech connected on a jump shot to extend YU’s advantage to 37-24. However, the Panthers finished the third period on a 7-0 run to pull to within six heading into the final quarter of regulation time.
Yeshiva got off to a good start in the fourth by building its lead to 43-32. Purchase countered with eight unanswered points to pull to within three with 5:58 remaining. After both teams exchanged baskets, Rothman successfully executed a clutch shot from downtown to inflate YU’s lead to 48-42 with 5:09 to go. Purchase would not go away as a 5-0 run narrowed Yeshiva’s advantage to 48-47 with 3:38 left to play in regulation time. Junior Gabrielle Kupferman halted the opposing team’s momentum by converting a layup to extend the Macs’ benefit to 50-47.
After Purchase hit a free throw, Rahamim nailed a shot from downtown to inflate Yeshiva’s lead to 53-48 with 1:41 to go. The Panthers managed to pull to within two with 21 ticks left on the clock but Nitzan was able to drain two key free throws on the next possession to unofficially seal the conference victory for the Maccabees. After Nitzan and Rahamim each buried one more free throw, Yeshiva went on to earn the Skyline win by a score of 57-51.
For YU, Kupferman tallied eight points with five rebounds. Malech had six points, three boards and a pair of steals. Berkowitz generated four points, six rebounds and two steals, while senior Miriam Kazlow snatched two boards. Junior Renee Benjamini had four caroms and a pair of assists.
