ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY – Junior
Courtney Heesemann (New Hyde Park, NY) posted game-highs with 19 points and 12 rebounds as the College of Mount Saint Vincent Women's Basketball team posted
a 77-60 road win at Bard on Tuesday night. Heesemann was one of three players to record double figures in the game for the Mount, as she posted her first double-double of the season.
Heesemann shot 8-16 from the floor in the contest and also converted 3-5 from the free-throw line on her way to a season-high point total. She also ripped down eight offensive rebounds in the contest, helping Mount Saint Vincent to a 24-11 edge in second chance points in the game. The double-double is the 19th in Heesemann's career.
After Bard scored the first four points of the contest the Dolphins responded with a 15-0 run capped by a Kara McNish (Hawthorne, NJ) lay-up with 14:05 left in the half to put the Mount ahead 15-4. The Dolphins' lead would not get below five points the rest of the half, as Mount Saint Vincent led 38-29 at halftime.
Bard would cut its deficit to three points twice in the second half with the final time coming with 17:06 remaining in regulation on a pair of Caitlin Dullea free-throws. From there the Dolphins reeled off a quick 5-0 run to get their lead back to eight points at 45-37 with just over 14:00 left in the half. After Kerry O'Connor (Bethpage, NY) pushed the lead to 10 points with a jumper with 8:58 left, Bard would not be able to get the deficit under double digits.
Heesemann netted 14 of her 19 points on 6-11 shooting in the second stanza and pulled down seven of her 12 boards. She finished a solid all around game with four assists and two blocked shots.
Karissa Koerner (Bay Shore, NY) finished with 11 points, three assists and two steals, while freshman Jen Mocanu (Middletown, NJ) matched her career-high with 14 points to go along with four rebounds. Lauren Percodani (Staten Island, NY) finished the night with game-highs in assists with five and steals with five.
Bard also had three players in double figures in the contest with Amy Engelson posting 15 points on 5-8 shooting from three-point range. Latiqua Williams finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds and matched the game-high with five steals. Dullea chipped in 14 points for the Raptors.
Overall in the game Mount Saint Vincent shot just under 40-percent from the floor and converted 77.8-percent from the free-throw line. The Dolphins held a 52-41 advantage on the glass, including a 23-13 edge in offensive rebounds. Mount Saint Vincent finished the game with the edge in points in the paint at 32-22, points off turnovers 19-9 and bench points 27-11.
The win evens Mount Saint Vincent's overall record at 2-2 and moves its Skyline Conference mark to 1-0. The Dolphins will open their home schedule on Thursday when they host Skyline rival Yeshiva. Tip-off at Hayes Gymnasium is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
