By Dylan Butler
The Queens College women’s basketball team went into the locker room Saturday night at halftime an angry group. Coming off an emotional win over Adelphi, the Lady Knights struggled in the first half and trailed Molloy by 10.
But Queens was also confident and took the game over in the second half en route to a 71-62 win.
“Even though we shot very poorly in the first half we stayed pretty disciplined,” said Queens College coach Denis Conroy. “They were calm (at halftime) and have a growing sense of confidence in what they can do and that’s a strength, that’s a good thing and it’s nice to have a security blanket like Shonda Holder.”
Led by Holder, who had a game-high 24 points and 13 rebounds, Queens (5-5, 4-3 NYCAC) overcame a sluggish start which saw the Lady Knights shoot 24.4 percent from the field in the first half to finish the game on a 19-5 run.
Erin White rebounded from early struggles to score 11 points and Erin Dollard added nine points, six rebounds and four steals and hit her lone three-pointer of the game with 1:21 left in the game to put the Lady Knights in front, 67-60.
“We got on roll and just didn’t look back. Once we got the lead we stayed with it and didn’t lose it the whole time,” Dollard said. “I was actually surprised when I looked up at the clock and realized there was less than a minute left and we were up six. The last three minutes went so quick because we were on a roll.”
After shooting from the perimeter against Molloy’s zone defense in the first half, Queens used its considerable size advantage inside in the second half — after the Lions switched to a man-to-man defense — and had a 52-41 rebounding edge.
“We have to come out with the same intensity that won us the game against Adelphi,” Holder said. “It’s disappointing to know that we didn’t play to out maximum potential in the first half, but we stepped it up even better in the second half.”
It was yet another frustrating game for former Mary Louis star Donna Lohery. Last year’s NYCAC Rookie of the Year scored 13 of her 17 points in the first half, which saw Molloy (4-9, 3-7) shoot 50 percent from the field.
But the Lions, which snapped a four-game losing streak last Thursday in a 67-55 win over New York Tech, shot 24 percent (6-for-25) from the field in the second half and scored just 22 points in the final 20 minutes. Molloy also had 20 turnovers, 12 in the second half.
“Fundamentals just went out the window. Turnovers and bad shots, bad decisions came together and that’s why we lost,” said Lohery, who had 26 points against former teammate Rachele Burriesci and New York Tech last Thursday. “They kept chipping away and were getting to the ball and we were a second short on everything.”
After playing at New York Tech in a game scheduled for Wednesday, Queens hosts C.W. Post Saturday before playing at Adelphi Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
Queens College 81, Dowling College 68. Dollard had 21 points, Holder added 17 points and 12 rebounds — her seventh double-double in the last eight games — and White had 16 points for the Lady Knights Monday night in Oakdale, L.I.
Queens College 73, Adelphi 69. Holder had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Katie Brown had 12 points and Dollard added 11 for Queens in an overtime win last Thursday. White had 10 and Amy Mulligan added nine points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Knights, which snapped a two-game losing streak.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
