Women's Basketball Outlasts Dowling, 69-63

1/11/2014 5:59:00 PM

Box Score

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (Jan. 11, 2014) - On Saturday afternoon, the LIU Post women's basketball team came away with its third-straight victory, beating East Coast Conference foe Dowling, 69-63, at the Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, N.Y.
 
Sophomore guard Chelsea Williams (Copiague, N.Y.) led the Pioneers (8-4, 5-1 ECC) with 17 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in the win.
 
The first half was a back-and-forth affair with no team leading by more than five points at any time. After trailing 6-4 early in the opening stanza, senior guard Kiki Sears (Hampton, Va.) hit a three to give the green and gold a 7-6 advantage with 16:42 to go.
 
Trailing 12-10 with just under 14 minutes left in the first half, senior guard Alexis Peters (Dorchester, Mass.) drilled a trifecta to put the Pioneers ahead, 13-12. LIU Post led until Julia Koppl converted a lay-up with 8:54 remaining to give the Golden Lions a 22-21 lead. On their next trip down the court, Christine Verrelle made a shot from deep to put Dowling up 25-21 with just over eight minutes remaining.

Sears later knocked down another trey to tie it at 33-up with 3:01 to go. The Pioneers outlasted the Golden Lions to head into the break leading 38-37.
 
Dowling outscored LIU Post 30-12 in the paint throughout the first half, but the green and gold got eight points from their reserves, while the Golden Lions bench went scoreless.
 
The teams traded buckets in the second half, until Williams drained a three with 6:05 remaining to put the Pioneers up two (58-56) .Less than a minute later, sophomore guard Quanisha Ratley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) netted a lay-up to put the hosts ahead by four.
 
After Peters missed a jumper with 3:19 to go in regulation, Kristina Surlan hit a three to put the Golden Lions ahead, 63-62 with just under three minutes remaining. But, on the ensuing possession, Williams answered from downtown to put the Pioneers ahead for good. LIU Post scored the game's final seven points, as the Pioneers came away with their fifth victory in their last six contests.
 
Peters finished with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block, while senior forward Shayna Gatling (Baldwin, N.Y.) amassed 10 points and six boards. Sears and sophomore guard Neila Collins (Manhasset, N.Y.) each chipped in nine points. Ratley added six points..
 
Head Coach Deirdre Moore and the Pioneers are back in action on Wednesday (Jan. 15), when they host Mercy in an ECC battle at Pratt Recreation Center in Brookville, N.Y. The opening tip is set for 5 p.m.