Bloomfield College women's basketball team loses to Post

WATERBURY, Conn. - Bloomfield's women's basketball team fell to 10-14 overall and 8-9 in conference play Thursday evening, as they dropped a tough 69-68 road decision to CACC North Division rival Post University. 

Fighting for the North's fourth and final playoff spot with three games remaining in the regular season, the Lady Deacons fell behind in the early going, with Post controlling the action for much of the first half.  The Eagles would lead by as many as 15 points with just under eight minutes to play, but Bloomfield would fight back with a 19-8 run to close the frame and cut the deficit to just four points at 38-34 heading into the intermission. 

The Lady Deacons kept pace for the early minutes of the second half, finally knotting the contest at 45 with 13:45 remaining.  A seesaw battle emerged between the division rivals, with neither team leading by more than four points the rest of the way.  Bloomfield was able to grab the advantage on a three by sophomore guard Ivettlis Castro (Carteret, N.J.), and moved the lead to three at 61-58 with 3:05 remaining on a layup by Vanessa Lamison (Laurel, Md.).  But Post would counter with a 7-0 run of their own to grab a four-point lead with 2:35 to play, setting the stage for a dramatic finale that would come down to the final seconds. 

Trailing 67-63 with 30 ticks remaining, Castro struck again in dramatic fashion, draining a three to cut the lead to a single point and connecting on a pair of free throws with eight seconds to play to give Bloomfield a 68-67 advantage.  But Post would once again rally to steal the victory, as the Eagles' Kelly Reynolds connected on a layup with two seconds to play to give the home team a 69-68 lead they would not relinquish.  The Lady Deacons' final shot drew iron, handing Bloomfield a heartbreaking loss in the game's final minute. 

Lamison was brilliant in the setback, totaling 20 points, six rebounds and a game-high six steals.  Emily Hall (Montclair, N.J.) netted 14 points and seven rebounds, while Castro totaled 10 points - five of them coming in the final minute of play.  Shaniqua Bacote (Paterson, N.J.) tallied eight points, five assists and four steals, while Dre'Shonda Williams (Piscataway, N.J.) notched nine points and five rebounds. 

Bloomfield returns to action Saturday, February 18 when they welcome CACC South Division rival Chestnut Hill College for the Lady Deacons' Senior Day game.  Tip-off for the contest is set for 1:00 PM.