(Riverdale, NY) – Mount Saint Vincent Head Women's Basketball Coach Ed Ryder finally figured out the formula to make his team tick. It took a little while, but if the last 24 hours of his coaching career prove that he has it all figured out, and the Mount seems poised to enjoy their first extended period of prosperity during the 2005-06 season. It's simple really, when every single player on the Mount Saint Vincent roster scores at least one point in a game, the Dolphins play their very best. 24 hours ago, all eight Dolphins scored and the Mount turned in its best performance of the season, falling 98-90 in a thriller to Skyline Conference powerhouse Farmingdale State. Tonight was more of the same as each Dolphin scored at least seven points, and grabbed a minimum of two rebounds apiece as the Mount erupted for an 80-14 win over CCNY. After 47 days, the Mount's eight-game losing streak is over, and the Dolphins returned to the win column with an emphatic statement on the court.
Sophomore Kaitlin Burud (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook HS) single-handedly beat the visiting Violets, scoring 17 points (three more than the entire CCNY team) and amassing an incredible 13 steals (a career high) en route to her first career double-double. She also added six rebounds and three assists. Three Dolphins scored in double figures as senior Andrea DiNizo (Cortlandt Manor, NY/Masters) scored 14 points and added a season-high eight assists and five steals. Fellow senior Lauren DeRosa (Hawthorne, NY/Westlake HS) added 10 points and six rebounds despite playing only 14 minutes after sustaining an ankle injury last night against Farmingdale State.
The game had all of the makings of a blowout from the start as the Mount scored the game's first 11 points, and led 47-7 at halftime. The Dolphins enjoyed scoring runs of 20-1, 16-2, 16-0, and at one point during the second half scored 28 consecutive points during a 14-minute span. The Dolphins featured the same crisp ball movement and timely shooting that gave Farmingdale fits during the second half of last night's game as 26 of the Mount's 35 field goals were assisted, and all but one Dolphin had at least one assist. Mount Saint Vincent also enjoyed a 49-33 rebounding advantage.
Also enjoying big games for the Mount were senior Meagan Fitzpatrick (Yonkers, NY/Our Lady of Victory), who chipped in eight points and a team-high 10 rebounds, and fellow senior Laura Bucci (Irvington, NY/Our Lady of Victory), who added seven points and seven assists.
With the monkey off of their backs and the losing streak now history, Mount Saint Vincent faces a crucial stretch of games as they seek a trip to the Skyline Conference playoffs and a high seeding in the Hudson Valley Women's Athletic Conference (HVWAC) post-season. They return to action on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. when they travel to seven-time Skyline Conference champion, Mount Saint Mary. After Saturday's trip, the Dolphins will play six out of their next seven games at home.
