Women’s Basketball falls to St. Joseph’s (CT) in nonleague play

Courtesy of Saint Joseph Sports Information

WEST HARTFORD, Conn - The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team won its third straight game to start the 2022-23 season, defeating MCLA in convincing fashion, 75-35, on Tuesday night inside the James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford. The Blues played stellar defense in the second half, allowing only 11 points. The 3-0 start is the first for the Blue Jays since the 2003-04 season. With the loss MCLA falls to 2-2.

Both sides traded buckets inside the opening minutes as the score was deadlocked at 2-2 at the 7:55 mark. USJ would explode on offense, jumping out to a lead after a timely 12-0 run. Fueling the Blue Jays stretch was six points from junior forward Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.). The USJ defense was stout in the first half, keeping the Trailblazers off the board for a 4:22 stretch to take its commanding lead. MCLA would pull back within single digits late in the first quarter, getting as close as seven, 16-9, but a Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.) jumper with 1:14 on the clock saw USJ take a 18-9 edge after the first quarter.

MCLA used a quick 4-0 stretch to cut the gap in the second quarter, keeping the Blue Jays scoreless in the opening minutes. Sophomore guard Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.) cut the Trailblazers momentum, sinking a triple at the 7:35 mark to give USJ a 21-13 advantage. MCLA continued to fight back though, pulling within four, 21-17, but a 12-0 Blue Jay run reestablished a 16-point lead, 33-17, with 4:16 remaining in the opening half. Senior guard Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) paced the Blue Jays during the big stretch, tallying five points. The Blue Jays continued to play strong defense for the remainder of the half, going into the halftime break up, 37-24.

The Blue Jays continued to roll in the second half, jumping out on a 7-0 run, paced by a Verboven three, taking a 44-24 edge. The two teams continued to trade buckets for the remainder of the wuarter, until freshman guard Jordan Farrell (West Hartford, Conn.) knocked down a three-pointer to give USJ a 25-point lead, 54-29 with 1:47 remaining in the third quarter as the Blue Jays lead, 56-31 going into the final quarter.

USJ continued to play stellar defense, keeping the Trailblazers off the board until the 7:25 mark. After another MCLA basket with 6:24 remaining, the Blue Jays put on the clamps, not allowing another MCLA point for the remainder of the contest. USJ would score 13 unanswered points to close out the game, taking home its third-straight victory, 75-35.

Zaylee Ramos would lead MCLA with 13 points and 8 rebounds.

The Blue Jays don't return to action until November 29^th when they host Western Connecticut. MCLA will next take the court at the Amsler Campus Center on Thursday when they'll host Utica at 6pm.