Retas Nets 1,000th Point as Women's Basketball Edges New Rochelle to Advance to HVIAC Finals

ALBANY, N.Y. – After building a sizable lead, the No. 2 St. Joseph's (Brooklyn) women's basketball fought off a late surge down the stretch to defeat No. 3 College of New Rochelle, 69-65, in the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) semifinals Saturday night at Albert M. White Gymnasium.

The Lady Bears (16-10, 5-1 HVIAC) advance to the tournament finals tomorrow afternoon, where they will meet host and No. 1 ranked Albany Pharmacy for the fifth time in six years for the title, both squads deadlocked at 2-2 in the previous meetings. 

Samantha Retas (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) led three teammates in double figures with her 13th double-double of the season, totalling a team-high 20 points and 17 rebounds in the victory. The senior made history in the win, securing her 1,000th career point at the 18:33 mark in the second half. Retas is now five boards shy of becoming part of the exclusive 1,000-point/1,000-rebound club.

Senior Taylor Raccuglia (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) also recorded a double-double, finished with 14 points and 10 boards, while Samantha Simon (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) netted a career-high 19 points, including the tie-breaking free throws with 28 seconds left. Erica Eddy (Glendale, N.Y./Christ the King) contributed with nine points, three boards and three assists off the bench.

Jah-Leah Ellis tallied a double-double for the Blue Angels (11-10, 4-2 HVIAC) with game-highs 28 points and 22 rebounds in a losing effort. Hannah Cambel scored 12 points, including three three-pointers, while Ja'Nasha King poured in 11 points of her own.

The teams started the game evenly, with two ties and three lead changes in the first seven minutes of play. The Bears would go on a 7-0 run to build their lead to their largest margin of nine and would go into halftime leading 34-28.

New Rochelle would not go away in the second half, not allowing St. Joseph's lead move to double figures. St. Joseph's would work their advantage back up to 59-52, but New Rochelle would battle back with a 10-2 run including a pair of threes to give them their first lead in the second half at 62-61 to create a thrilling end to the game.

Simon would hit a free throw to even the score at 62 but Alyssa Pechin would hit one of two to once again regain the lead for the Blue Angels. After a great defensive stop, Retas would connect on a jumper to put the Lady Bears up one. Ellis would come back down and give New Rochelle a 65-64 advantage, then Raccuglia would split free throws to tie the game at 65 with 1:52 left.

Both teams ramped up their defense on the next few possessions, not allowing points the next minute of play. Following a foul, Simon would then hit two critical free throws with 28 seconds remaining. A New Rochelle turnover and a missed three-point attempt, followed by late free throws by Raccuglia and Destiny Marino (Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King), would salt away the win for St. Joseph's.

The Lady Bears would edge out the Blue Angels on rebounds with a 54-51 advantage, while holding them to 33.8% (24 for 71) shooting for the game. They also would make New Rochelle pay by corralling 19 offensive rebounds on the game and tallying 18 second chance points off them.

The conference finals will take place tomorrow at Albert M. White Gymnasium in Albany as St. Joseph's will tangle with the top-ranked Panthers (15-7, 5-1 HVIAC). Tip time is at 4:00 p.m. and live stats will be available at SJCBears.com.