NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., December 11, 2018 – A big fourth-quarter run by the visitors was the difference on Tuesday, as the Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team dropped a 70-54 decision to Hostos Community College at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs fall to 8-3 on the season with the loss, while the Caimans improve to 10-2.
 
Things started off slowly in the first quarter, but the Mustangs held a 4-0 lead at the 6:15 mark. Five straight points by the Caimans put the visitors on top, but the Mustangs quickly responded with four more of their own to take an 8-5 advantage. After an 8-8 tie, the Mustangs scored the next six points to grab a 14-8 advantage. Hostos cut the deficit back down to one, but Treyvell Jenkins hit a long jumper with 24 seconds remaining to give Monroe a 16-13 edge heading into the second stanza.
 
Hostos' Apilyn Bonny netted the first bucket of the second quarter at the 7:23 mark. It was not until the clock read 5:11 that the Mustangs made their first basket of the period, a three-pointer by Andrea Young to take a 19-15 lead. Devon Adams then added two more points nearly 80 seconds later. Things picked up from there, seeing both teams score back-and-forth, resulting in a 27-21 advantage for the Mustangs heading into the break.
 
The start of the third frame saw a renewed energy from the Mustangs, who opened the period on a 10-2 run before Hostos needed to call a timeout with 7:25 on the clock. The Caimans quickly turned it around with six straight points, but an impressive three-point play by Courtney Irabor halted the visitors' momentum and gave Monroe a 40-29 edge.
 
The Caimans responded with an 11-1 run, making it a 41-40 game with just under two minutes left in the third. The Mustangs then netted the next four points, but a three by Hostos' Kendra Sanchez made it a two-point game. Jozai Vazquez put one in off the glass with 39 seconds left to put the Mustangs up by four at 47-43 heading into the fourth.
 
Aneisha Lyons led the Mustangs to a quick 5-1 run to open the fourth. Ellease Billings and Regine Blakney then hit a pair of threes for the Caimans, leaving the Mustangs up, 52-50, with 7:14 to play. Kayla Wilson made a free throw shortly after, and then a layup by Wilson put the Caimans ahead, 53-52. Wilson kept rolling with another pair of layups to put the Caimans up, 57-52, with 5:05 on the clock. The Mustangs got back on the board with a couple free throws by Irabor, but Hostos scored the final 13 points points of the game to pick up a 16-point win.
 
Lyons finished with a team-high 11 points after draining three long balls. Irabor, Vazquez, India Keene and Shanice Graves all finished with six points. Phyness Baldwin dished out a team-best five assists, while Devon Adams led with eight rebounds.
 
The Mustangs get back to work on Saturday, Dec. 15, when they play host to SUNY Sullivan at the MAC. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 27 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).