GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The Pace University women's basketball team outscored Adelphi University, 25-4, in the fourth quarter of Saturday's Northeast-10 Conference matchup, leading the Setters to an impressive 71-63 comeback victory over the Panthers at the Center for Recreation and Sport. The Setters' record improves to 7-6, 3-3 NE-10 with the win, while the Panthers fall to 10-4, 3-3 NE-10.
Sophomore guard
Gabriella Rubin (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) tallied 12 of her season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter to help the Setters erase the 13-point deficit they entered the final period with. She scored 17 points in total in the second half, and matched grad student forward
Jaclyn Oskam (Glenmont, NY/Bethlehem Central / Quinnipiac University) and junior forward
Kirsten Dodge (Fabius, NY/Fabius-Pompey) with five rebounds in the final 20 minutes.
Rubin opened the fourth quarter with a layup at the 9:48 mark, cutting Adelphi's lead to 11. Adelphi's Sierra Clark then finished a lay-in at 9:11 for the Panthers' lone field goal in the fourth frame. Rubin knocked down a triple with 8:33 to go in the fourth, and freshman guard
Stefanie Svoboda (Ossining, NY/Ossining) connected on a three of her own at 7:34 to cut the deficit single digits at 62-54. Rubin took over by grabbing an offensive rebound and putting it back up for two. She then went hard to the hoop, sinking a layup and drawing the foul for a three-point play that made it a one-possession game at 62-59.
Freshman guard
Alexandra Monteleone (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) assisted senior forward
Rachel Dortch (Columbus, NJ/Northern Burlington) on a jumper with 5:14 left in the quarter to get the Setters back within a point. With 3:23 seconds left in regulation, grad student guard
Shanice Maynard (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson / Coppin State) was good for two off an assist by Dortch to give the Setters their first lead since the 2:39 mark in the second stanza.
Staying aggressive, Pace continued its spectacular fourth-quarter play as Maynard made another shot to put the Setters up by three. The Panthers, fighting to stay alive, drew a foul, sending Ashley Gomez to the line. She converted 1-of-2 free throws at 1:24 for Adelphi's last points of the game. The Setters went on to score six points in the last minute of regulation for the eight-point comeback win.
Rubin added five rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals to go with her season-high 25 points. Oskam recorded her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 boards. Dodge matched Oskam's 11 rebounds, netting 12 points as well for a double-double of her own.
Clark contributed 22 points and nine rebounds for the Panthers. Gomez helped with 16 more points and seven boards.
Pace forced 12 turnovers which helped lead the Setters to a 22-17 advantage in points-off-turnovers. The Setters also held a slim 43-42 edge in rebounds, and outscored the Panthers in the paint, 34-28.
The Setters return to action Monday Jan. 4, when they travel to Waterbury, Conn. to play non-conference opponent Post University. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
For all information regarding Pace University women's basketball log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace women's basketball on Twitter (
@PaceWBB) and Instagram (
@PaceWBB).
