The Mount Pushes it’s Winning Streak to Five

NEWBURGH – The Mount Saint Mary College Women’s Basketball team pushed its winning streak to five games to open the season and moved to within two wins of matching the program’s best start to a season on Saturday with a 70-40 win over St. Joseph’s-L.I. Sophomore Kayla Cleare was one of three Knights to score in double-figures and posted her third double-double of the season.

Mount Saint Mary never trailed in the game, but struggled to a 20-16 halftime lead after shooting just 27.8-percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes and going 0-for-11 from behind the arc. The Mount built a 10 point lead on a Megan Kerutis bucket with just under six minutes left in the second quarter, but produced just two more points the rest of the period.

The visitors scored seven of the final nine points of the second stanza to stay within striking distance despite shooting 24-percent from the floor prior to halftime. Kerutis led all scorers at the break with eight points for the Knights, while Andrea Iavarone scored seven of the Golden Eagles’ 16 points in the first half.

After struggling from the floor in the first half, the Mount erupted for 50 points after halftime and shot and efficient 55.6-percent over the final 20 minutes. The Knights knocked in half of their eight three point attempts after halftime and forced 13 St. Joseph’s turnovers leading to 23 points off of miscues.

After the Golden Eagles climbed to within 26-24 with 5:37 left in the third period, the Knights used a 17-5 stretch over nearly five minutes to build a 43-29 lead on a Jordyn Hellpap three-pointer in the final minute of the quarter. St. Joseph’s answered with the final five point of the frame to cut the Mount lead to just nine with 10 minutes left to play.

The Knights dominated the fourth quarter, shooting better than 61-percent in the frame and stretching its lead to a game-high 34 points on a Taylor Whiffen bucket with 1:54 left in the contest.

Lyndsay Pace hit a three coming out of the third period break to stretch the lead back to 12 for the Knights, who used a 27-2 run over 8:10 capped by the Whiffen bucket to open the 70-36 lead. The Mount went 11-for-14 from the floor over the run with Bridget Kelly leading eight different scorers with eight points.

Kerutis led the Knights with 12 points on a 5-for-10 effort from the floor and she rounded o the game with four assists, three rebounds and three steals. Hellpap led the Mount with five helpers and added seven points, with Janae Graham coming off the bench to contribute five points and four assists.

Kelly finished the game with 10 points for the Mount, going 4-for-6 from the floor, and Cleare closed the day with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. She added three blocks in the contest. Jessica Rini and Pace each finished with eight points for the Mount.

Mount Saint Mary rounded out the game assisting on 23 of its 30 field goals and finished the day shooting 41.7-percent from the floor. The Knights posted a 30-6 edge in paint points, a 27-9 advantage in points off of turnovers and a 14-4 edge in second chance scoring.