New Haven, Conn. – The Albertus Magnus College women's basketball team won its fifth straight contest on Saturday afternoon, topping vising New Rochelle, 86-55, in non-conference action at The Nest inside the Cosgrove Marcus Messer Athletic Center. With the 31-point triumph, the Falcons improve to 6-3 on the year, while the Blue Angels saw their two-game winning streak come to an end to move to 4-7 overall.
Four Falcons scored in double figures in the victory led by junior transfer Liz Falcigno (Wallingford, Conn.) with a team-high 23 points and sophomore forward Olivia Bolden (South Windsor, Conn.) added 21 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Falcigno had another strong shooting performance, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. The 5-7 guard also wreaked havoc on the defensive end, registering a career-high seven steals and grabbing five boards. The other two Falcons in double figures were senior Kelsey Pendagast (Shelton, Conn.) and freshman guard Deja Ward (Middletown, Conn.). Pendagast recorded her second straight double-double thanks to 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while Ward poured in 14 off the bench.
It was the Jasmine Brandon show for New Rochelle, as the 5-10 forward scored a game-high 30 points on 12-of-17 shooting. Brandon also pulled down eight rebounds, dished out one assist and registered two steals in a losing effort. Senior guard JaNasha King added nine points courtesy of hitting three three-pointers for the Blue Angels.
Albertus Magnus opened the game on a 7-0 run capped by a layup from Bolden two minutes into play. The visitors would respond with a 6-0 spurt of their own ending with a layup from sophomore guard Chelsea Thomas to pull within one with 6:48 left in the first quarter. The two squads traded buckets and following a pair of free throws from Ward, the Falcons took an 18-13 edge into the second stanza.
In the second frame, Albertus stretched its lead to 17 thanks to shooting over 53 percent from the field and forcing six New Rochelle turnovers. In the quarter, the Falcons outscored the Blue Angels, 28-16, while shooting 60 percent from three-point range to take a 46-29 lead into halftime.
During the second half, Albertus Magnus pulled away to score its third home win of the winter.
On the boards, Albertus Magnus held a commanding, 57-34, advantage and the Falcons had 18 second-chance points compared to just nine for the Blue Angels.
The Falcons topped the 80-point plateau for the fifth consecutive contest and for the third straight game, AMC led from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
Albertus Magnus returns to action on Wednesday, December 16, with a road non-conference clash against Manhattanville at 7:00 pm. The tilt with Valiants is the final one of the calendar year for the Falcons. Albertus Magnus is looking to extend its winning streak to six games and avenge a setback at home to Manhattanville last winter.
For the latest information on the women's basketball team and Albertus Magnus athletics, follow AMCAthletics on Twitter and visit AlbertusFalcons.com.
