ELMIRA, N.Y. – Russell Sage College dropped a tough 70-69 Empire 8 women's basketball contest on Friday night on the road. RSC is now 11-13 overall and 7-8 in the Empire 8, while Elmira stands at 10-14 overall and 4-11in the league.
Freshman guard Syrita Faraj (Troy, NY/Tamarac), who was named the E8 Rookie of the Week on Monday, led all players with her 26 points and hauled in 12 rebounds for her team-best ninth double-double of the year.
Senior forward Kyra Oeffler (Green Island, NY/Heatly) tallied 14 points with three steals and seven rebounds for the Gators, while senior guard Meghan Murray (Watervliet, NY/Watervliet) added 11 points with eight rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals.
The game featured 10 ties including a tie at 0:03 as Murray hauled in a defensive rebound and was fouled. She went to the line making both free throws to tie the game at 69-69. Utica's Alyssa Waters was fouled in the final second and made the first of two free throws propelling the Soaring Eagles to the victory.
Senior guard Sammy Pasinella (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) added six points including a clutch three-pointer at 0:23 to pull the Gators within three points, down 68-65.
On her RSC career, Pasinella now has 755 career points which puts her at 16th on the all-time scoring list at RSC. She also ranks sixth with her 115 career three-point baskets, while her 186 career assists is 15th. She has now appeared in 73 games at RSC.
Oeffler stands 10th in career blocks, as she now has 41, while has now played in 74 career games and ranks 27th all-time in appearances. Murray ranks 17th with her 25 career blocks, while having also played in 51 games as a Gator.
The Soaring Eagles got a double-double from Desiree Roy as she had 19points with 17 rebounds and was 8-14 from the floor. Waters finished with 13 points and handed out nine assists, while Taylor Albrecht had 14 points.
Looking ahead, RSC plays at Keuka tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. in the final regular-season contest of the year.
Notes: Freshman guard Syrita Faraj was named the E8 Rookie of the Week on Monday…It marked the third time that she took home the accolade this season (Nov. 15, Dec. 6, Feb. 14)…The Gators close the regular season by playing five of the final seven games on the road…Senior guard Sammy Pasinella, who was named first-team All-Conference last season, equaled a program record with eight made three-pointers on Jan. 18 vs. Utica.
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