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Solid Win Over Mt. St. Mary Caps Season for Young Golden Eagles Squad

Solid Win Over Mt. St. Mary Caps Season for Young Golden Eagles Squad

Patchogue, N.Y. – As their season came to an earlier than desired end, the Golden Eagles dug deep within to find one last win to conclude with.  St. Joseph's (6-18, 3-9 SKY) defeated Mt. St. Mary (9-16, 4-8 SKY) in what was ultimately a close home Skyline Conference contest by a score of 48-44.

Freshman forward Andrea Iavarone (Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place), a three-time Skyline Conference Rookie of the Week and a bright spot for future success, led St. Joseph's with 14 points and eight rebounds.  Junior forward Katie McGarrell (Selden, N.Y./Newfield) also reached double figures with 11 points along with five boards.

The Golden Eagles were the first to post points and continued with that momentum to gain their 11-point lead by half.  Outstanding efforts were apparent across the board, but Jackie Zizzo (Bethpage, N.Y./Bethpage) led the team with all six of her points in the first half.

It was a game of minimal three-pointers as none were scored until the second half with 17:28 left on the clock. SJC freshman guard Claire Brady (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches) was the first to post a three and the Knights responded just 15 seconds later, posting the second triple of the game.

Things were relatively calm, until the second half where the Knights' efforts granted them a near comeback. With 14:37 left on the clock, the point deficit minimized to just five, the Golden Eagles struggled to keep the lead but rose to the challenge.

With just 7:26 left on the clock, the Golden Eagles were up by just two points and would have to fight until the very end. The last few minutes rallied back and forth, but SJC kept a continuous lead. Iavarone led the team to victory, with a second half team-high of ten points.

SJC had never beaten Mount Saint Mary in their 28 previous meetings before this January 11, but now the Golden Eagles hold two wins in row over them.  The two teams had been playing annually since the 1997-98 season.

Although this season has come to an end without a playoff berth, the Golden Eagles look to come back next year with a more experienced team.  SJC doesn't graduate a senior, creating a good opportunity for growth and a continued connection heading into the future.  The team this season consisted of a terrific recruiting class of seven freshman, four sophomores and two juniors.