Nardulli Stars as Women's Basketball Takes on Undefeated ECC Foe NYIT
Box Score OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. (Jan. 10, 2013) – Junior guard Maria Nardulli (Staten Island, N.Y.) starred as the Mercy College women's basketball team took on undefeated East Coast Conference-leading NYIT on Wednesday night.
The Mavericks caught the Bears by surprise early as Nardulli and senior forward Kaitlin Jetter (Ozone Park, N.Y.) hit back-to-back three-pointers, taking a 6-0 lead. Mercy stretched it out to 11-3 before NYIT clawed back in, taking a brief lead before Nardulli hit a jumper and her third three-pointer to regain the lead once more at20-18 with 9:33 to play in the half.
The Bears finally found their game, however, pouring in 12 straight points to take a commanding 30-20 lead and closing out the half on an 11-5 run. NYIT quickly extended its lead past 20 in the second half but the Mavericks held them there until 12:20 remaining, when NYIT rattled off 20 unanswered points as the Mavericks were unable to find a basket for over eight minutes. The Bears went on to win, 81-39.
NYIT improved to 12-0 overall and 4-0 in the ECC while Mercy dropped to 0-11 (0-4).
Nardulli finished with 11 points, all of which she scored in the first nine minutes, and added five rebounds and a career-high seven steals. Sophomore forward Shaniqua Lewis (Staten Island, N.Y.) grabbed eight rebounds and senior guard Aysha Williams (New Rochelle, N.Y.) dished out three assists.
Freshman wing Dina Ragab (Cairo, Egypt) scored 21 points in as many minutes off the bench to lead the Bears, while graduate center Charlene Riddick (Torrington, Conn.) recorded the double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Graduate guard Nikki Jo Rotolo (Rome, N.Y.) added 10 points, seven rebounds and tied for the team high with four assists.
Head Coach Rashidi Aikens and the Mavericks will continue ECC play as they host St. Thomas Aquinas College (7-7, 3-1) on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 12:30 p.m.
