Staten Island Drops Women’s Basketball in Season Opener

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In their 2018-19 season opener, the St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) women's basketball team (0-1) fell to the College of Staten Island (1-0) on the road on Thursday night. The Bears kept things close trailing by five after the first, but CSI pulled away for a 67-43 victory.

How It Happened
Freshman Jamie Provino (Harrison, N.Y./Harrison) drained two three-pointers in the first two minutes of her collegiate debut for an early 6-1 SJC lead. Captain Victoria Porcasi (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) hit a triple of her own (6:06), stretching the Bears' lead to 11-3. However, a Megan McEwan layup with two minutes to go in the period capped off 14 unanswered Dolphin points as the hosts finished the first ahead 20-15.

Sophomore Lauren Quesada (Westbury, N.Y./St. Franics Prep) put in back-to-back buckets to bring the Bears within four (25-21) five minutes before the half. Staten Island ended the second quarter on a 10-4 run to maintain a double-digit advantage at intermission (35-25).

Deserae Sequeira (Clark, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson) nailed a long-ball to bring the Bears back within single-digits at 39-31 halfway through the third. CSI held St. Joseph's to four points for the remainder of the frame and built a commanding 51-35 lead entering the fourth. The Dolphins didn't look back, extending the score even further in the fourth and racing away to a convincing win.

For the Bears

• Porcasi paced the offense with 17 points and pulled down 10 boards for a double-double.
• Kelly O'Donnell (Brooklyn, N.Y./St. Edmund Prep) added seven points and senior Caitlyn Staab (Lynbrook, N.Y./Kellenburg Memorial) put up a team-high seven rebounds.
• Quesada finished with six points, five caroms, and two assists.

Next Up for the Bears
A showdown with Southern Vermont on day one of the Ramapo Tournament in Mahwah, New Jersey on Friday (Nov. 16) at 5:30 p.m. Live stats and video links will be available at SJCBears.com.