NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., January 20, 2024 – For the second time this season,
Carlota Gomez-Alonso produced a double-double consisting of points and steals, helping lift the Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team to a 55-43 victory over Putnam Science Academy on Saturday at the Monroe Athletic Complex. Monroe improves to 11-6 with their fourth straight win.
Gomez-Alonso finished with team-highs of 17 points and 13 steals in Saturday's win. Back on Dec. 2, 2023, she had 27 points and 16 steals to set a new Monroe single-game steals record. Gomez-Alonso added five rebounds and five assists to a stellar afternoon.
Monroe scored the first five points of Saturday's game and kept Putnam Science off the board until Alicia Jimenez hit a three with 7:18 left in the first. A layup by
Emma Wilson-Saltos had Monroe up, 11-7, before Putnam Science scored six straight to jump ahead by two. Gomez-Alonso tied the game for Monroe, and then caught Putnam Science napping on a ball that was rolling into the backcourt, scooping it up and scoring to leave Monroe up, 15-13, heading to the second.
Putnam Science's Carlota Lopez hit a layup to tie the game early in the second, but Monroe responded with eight straight to take a 23-15 advantage. Monroe was not able to get comfortable with that lead, as the visitors went on an 8-1 run to make it a one-point game. Monroe could not have responded better, keeping their guests off the board for the rest of the half while scoring 10 in a row to take a 34-23 advantage into halftime.
Gomez-Alonso led Monroe with 11 points and six steals at the break. Wilson-Saltos had eight points and four rebounds.
Alycia Secchiaroli pulled down a team-high five rebounds to go with four points.
Nicole Bencosme contributed seven points and an assist.
Sharon Brown and Wilson-Saltos scored two quick layups to give Monroe a 15-point advantage early in the third quarter. Putnam Science cut the deficit back down to 11 points late in the third, but the Mustangs closed out the period with six straight points, including a buzzer-beating layup by Gomez-Alonso, to take a 48-31 advantage heading into the fourth.
Monroe pushed its lead to 20 with three early points in the fourth quarter. An 8-0 run in the final three minutes by the visitors made it a 12-point difference, but time ran out on Putnam Science, seeing Monroe hold on for the 55-43 win.
Bencosme and Wilson-Saltos had matching 12-point, six-rebound games in Saturday's win. Secchiaroli added six points and a team-high eight boards with a pair of steals as well.
The Mustangs hit the road immediately following Saturday's win to head up to Rochester for their matchup with Monroe Community College tomorrow, Jan. 21. Sunday's tip-off upstate is set for 1 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 28 teams competing across nine sports. There are 20 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, 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 Mustangs Athletics), Twitter (
@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (
@monroemustangs).
