Staten Island, N.Y. – The Le Moyne College women's basketball team traveled to Wagner and took on the Seahawks in an NEC matchup on Thursday night. The Dolphins dropped the road contest, 59-45, and now move to 5-15 overall and are 3-4 in conference action this season.
Junior forward Ashley Buragas (Hopewell Junction, N.Y. / John Jay / Mineral Area College) put up a team-high 13 points in her 11th double-digit scoring effort of the season. She shot 6-17 from the field with seven rebounds, one assist, and one block in 32 minutes on the hardwood.
Junior forward Sydney Postell (Churchville, N.Y. / Churchville-Chili) added another 11 points in her third straight start for the 'Phins, shooting 50% overall while going 5-6 from the line.
Junior guard Jessica Wangolo (Ottawa, O.N. / Capital Courts Academy / Buffalo) led the team with a career-high 10 rebounds while tallying a pair of assists and two steals in 33 minutes of play– also the most of her career. Sophomore guard Eli Clark (Oakhurst, N.J. / Ocean Township) dished out a team-best three assists in the loss.
Le Moyne shot 16-55 (29.1%) from the field with a 11-12 (91.7%) mark from the free-throw line. They recorded 20 of their 45 points in the paint.
Irene Fernandez de Caleya put up a game-high 15 points for the Seahawks while Priscila Varela (13) and Keana Foz (12) also finished with double-digit point totals. Lijirin Doyinsola Modesayor also led all players with 11 rebounds and tallied team-highs with three assists and two blocks.
Wagner worked to a 7-0 lead to open the game before senior guard Sierra Linnin (Valley Cottage, N.Y. / Albertus Magnus) connected on a three at the 6:15 mark of the opening quarter for the Dolphins. The Seahawks went on another run, this time 6-2, over the next three minutes before Wangolo and Linnin each connected on a pair of free throws to lessen the deficit. A late three from Maria Doreste sent Wagner to the second frame with a 16-11 lead.
The hosts extended their lead to 11 before Le Moyne found the bottom of the net on a layup from Buragas nearly three minutes into the second quarter. The Dolphins went scoreless after a pair of shots from the line by Postell at the 6:02 mark, as the Seahawks ran their lead up to 20 points, 35-15, before the half.
Out of the break, the 'Phins struck first off a three out of the hands of E. Clark and a layup by Postell in the opening minute. The Seahawks reached their largest lead of the game, 45-24, with 4:39 left in the quarter on a three from Fernandez de Caleya before the Dolphins registered five straight points from Buragas. A layup out of the hands of senior guard Michelina Lombardi (Wynantskill, N.Y. / Averill Park) and free throws from her and Postell in the final minute brought Le Moyne back within 15 points, 51-36, to end the quarter.
A layup from Buragas opened the final quarter of play before the Dolphins went cold offensively for the next three-plus minutes. Postell added the team's final five points over the last 5:05 of action as Wagner held on for a 59-45 home win over Le Moyne.
What's Next:
The Dolphins will head home to Ted Grant Court and meet FDU on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 1:00 p.m.
