NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., January 16, 2022 – Facing a stiff challenge on Sunday to close out the Monroe College MLK Classic, the Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team was up to the task, playing one of its best games of the season to defeat previously unbeaten, and Div. II No. 19-ranked SUNY Sullivan by a score of 63-58 at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs improve to 6-10 overall with the win, while the Generals drop to 15-1.
The Generals had the early jump on the Mustangs, going up, 11-4, with 5:06 left in the first quarter. The Mustangs responded with a pair of layups by
Olivia Medford, then another by
Anais Rosa to make it a one-point game. Sullivan's Deivejon Harris made a jumper in the paint with 42 seconds left to give the Generals a 13-10 edge heading into the second.
After going down by five early in the second stanza, the Mustangs chipped away at the deficit. Down 19-14 with 6:20 left in the half,
Tanae Arnold hit a layup, and then
Sara Carvajal-Caro drained a wide-open three to tie the game. The game was later tied at 24 apiece, but the combo of Arnold and Carvajal-Caro combined for the next nine points, putting the Mustangs up, 33-24. Sullivan scored four of the final six points of the quarter, but the Mustangs managed to take a 35-28 advantage into the break.
Carvajal-Caro led the Mustangs with eight points coming off the bench in the first half, matching
Naomi Barnwell for a team-high of three rebounds. Arnold had six points with four assists and four steals through 20 minutes. Medford and
Amy Sangare each had six points as well.
The Generals scored 4-of-6 to start the third, but the Mustangs responded with the next six points to go up, 43-32, with 4:39 left in the third. The teams were trading points back-and-forth before a three-point play by Medford gave the Mustangs a 51-38 lead in the final minute of the third. Sullivan's Lanasia Drain made a pair of free throws with five seconds left, leaving Monroe up, 51-40, heading to the final period.
After two scoreless minutes to start the fourth, Sullivan picked up back-to-back buckets to get back within seven with seven minutes to play. Monroe got its first bucket of the frame when Medford hit a jumper at the 5:24 mark, but Gabrielle Jeridore hit a three for Sullivan to get within four. Barbara Bruno hit a jumper shortly after to get the Generals within two with 4:19 to play.
Carvajal-Caro hit a layup to put Monroe back up by four, but Bruno made 1-of-2 from the free-throw line to leave Monroe up by three with 3:15 on the clock. Barnwell came up with a big steal, setting up Medford for a jumper with 1:24 left to put Monroe back up by five. Anisa Perry drew a foul for the Generals, making both shots to get back within three, but the Mustangs stormed down the court, seeing
Daja Wentz set up Carvajal-Caro for an easy lay-in to make it a five-point game once again. Harris got to the line and made both for Sullivan, seeing the score move to 60-57 with 45 seconds left. Barnwell was fouled with 17.7 on the clock, making the second of two chances to make it a four-point difference. The Mustangs made a pair of big stops to bookend one free throw by Perry, keeping them up by three before Carvajal-Caro was fouled after a rebound. She made both chances, helping the Mustangs hang on with a five-point win to end Sullivan's undefeated run.
Medford led all scorers with 19 points in the win, just missing a double-double with nine rebounds, as well as five steals. Carvajal-Caro finished with 14 points and five boards off the bench. Sangare totaled nine points and seven rebounds in the victory. Arnold contributed six points, vie assists and five steals. Barnwell returned to action with four points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals.
With a big win in-hand, the Mustangs are set to take to the road for the first time in 2022 this Tuesday, Jan. 18, when they visit Orange County Community College in Middletown, N.Y. The game is set to begin at 5 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 14 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
