NEWBURGH – The Mount Saint Mary College Women’s Basketball team will enter the 2022 Skyline Conference Championship on a nine-game winning streak following a 74-37 win over Old Westbury Saturday afternoon on Senior Day. Morina Bojka led the offensive attack with a game-high 26 points.
Saturday’s triumph improves Mount Saint Mary to 21-3 overall and ends the conference schedule with a 19-1 record. Old Westbury falls to 7-14 overall and 6-13 against conference opponents.
First Half
After the two teams traded three-pointers to open the scoring, Mount Saint Mary scored the next six points to open a 9-3 advantage on a Bojka conversion at the 6:22 mark of the first period.
Old Westbury cut its disadvantage to 9-8 late in the first period before the Mount scored the final seven points of the period to grab a 16-8 lead after 10 minutes.
The Knights went 6-for-18 from the floor in the opening stanza and connected on a pair of triples.
Bojka knocked down a jumper in the opening minute of the second quarter to push the Mount in front 18-8.
Following an Old Westbury bucket, the Mount scored the next 15 points to surge in front 33-10 on a Katie Smith conversion with 4:11 left before halftime.
The Mount’s advantage would not fall below 21 points again in the game and grew to 41-17 on a Lauren Desrats bucket just before the second quarter horn.
Mount Saint Mary outscored Old Westbury 25-9 in the second frame, shooting 44-percent overall with two more three-pointers.
The Knights closed the opening 20 minutes shooting 39.5-percent overall with four three-pointers, converting 12 more field goals than the Panthers.
Old Westbury was limited to 5-for-25 shooting before halftime and a 1-for-8 effort from three-point range.
Bojka finished the first half 6-for-11 from the floor with two triples on her way to 14 points.
Second Half
The Knights opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run, highlighted by six points from Bojka, to improve its standing to 49-17 four minutes into the second half.
The advantage ballooned to 44 points twice in the final1:33 of the third quarter with a Kate Hughes bucket with 18 seconds left giving the Knights a commanding 65-21 lead.
Mount Saint Mary held Old Westbury to just four points in the third period and a 2-for-12 mark from the floor.
The Knights went 10-for-19 from the floor coming out of halftime and connected on a trio of three-pointers.
Mount Saint Mary held a lead as large as 49 points in the fourth period on a Cameron Villanueva bucket with 8:14 left to play.
Mount Saint Mary converted at just shy of 44-percent after halftime and connected on four three-pointers.
Old Westbury was held to a 31-percent conversion rate in the second half and went without a triple in four attempts.
Bojka poured in 12 more points in the second half on 5-for-9 shooting.
For The Knights
Bojka scored at least 20 points in a game for the 10th time this season on Saturday, going 11-for-20 from the floor with three triples. She closed a big game with eight rebounds, two assists and four steals.
Smith contributed nine points for the Mount and three steals.
Desrats wrapped up the victory with seven points, five caroms, three assists and a pair of steals.
Prior to the game, the Mount honored the eight seniors playing in their final regular season home game: Julia Lavin, Bojka, Desrats, Toriana Tabasco, Gabriella Rafaniello, Kylie Sisto, Villanueva and Annie Keenan.
For The Panthers
Ja’nya Flash led the team with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Cheerish Francis chipped in nine points and three assists.
The Knights will be off until Thursday when they will host a Semifinal Round contest in the 2022 Skyline Conference Championship.