A 71-54 loss to the Iona Gaels on Friday night snapped the Saint Peter's College women's basketball two-game winning streak. The Peahens held a lead early on in the first half, but a 12-3 run by the Gaels in the ensuing minutes gave the visiting team an advantage they would not relinquish for the remainder of the contest. Senior center Quiana Porter finished with a double-double of 12 points, 10 rebounds to lead the Peahens. With the loss, Saint Peter's falls to 2-16, 2-5 MAAC, while the Gaels improve to 9-9, 5-2 MAAC.
The Gaels opened up the first frame with a 4-0 advantage, until sophomore guard Khadijah Young got the Peahens on the board with a three pointer from the left wing. Less than a minute later, Judson found Young in the right corner for another trey that gave the hosts their first lead of the game at 6-4.
Iona regained the lead (7-6) at 16:15, following Damika Martinez's conventional three-point play. Just forty seconds later, a 20-foot jumper from Quiana Porter put SPC ahead 8-7 going into the under-sixteen media timeout. Porter extended the home team's lead to three with her second consecutive made field goal, until a trey from Martinez tied the game at 10-10.
Back-to-back turnovers by Saint Peter's on the next two possessions allowed the Gaels to extend their run to 7-0 and take a 14-10 lead. The Gaels proceeded to outscore the Peahens 12-3 over the next six minutes, dating back to the 14:24 minute mark.
Following a three minute scoring drought, Jynae Judson drained a trey at 6:20 to bring Saint Peter's within six at 22-16. A steal on the inbound by Iona's Aleesha Powell, expanded the Gaels' lead to 15, 31-16, and forced Head Coach Stephanie DeWolfe to exhaust her second time-out in just fifty-one seconds.
The Peahens ended the first half on a 4-0 run, and went into the half-time break trailing 31-20.
For the half, Saint Peter's shot 30.8% from the field, and 21.4% from long distance. Iona shot 31.6% and 36.4% respectively. Jynae Judson led the Peahens in scoring with 7 points, while adding 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 assists. Khadijah Young added 6 points and 2 steals. The Gaels were led by Damika Martinez's 10 points, 5 rebounds.
Jynae Judson opened up the second frame by connecting on a floater in the paint (33-22). The Gaels continued to score six straight points, until Quiana Porter grabbed the offensive rebound off Kristal Edward's missed shot, and followed up with the put-back. That would be the beginning of a 7-1 run for Saint Peter's, that brought them within 9 points (38-29) heading into the second media time-out of the half.
Saint Peter's was able to cut the Iona lead to as low as eight-points, following Aminah Davis's two made free throws at 11:44. That would be the closest the Peahens got in the remainder of the contest, as the Gaels led by as many as 21 points (65-44) with 5:33 left.
For the game, Saint Peter's shot 33.9% from the floor and 26.1% from long distance while Iona shot 38.5% and 26.1%, respectively. The Gaels also out-rebounded the Peahens by a 54-71 margin. Saint Peter's committed 22 turnovers in the game and forced 18.
The Peahens were led by Quiana Porter's 12 points and 10 rebounds (6 offensive rebounds). Jynae Judson added 11 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Khadijah Young and Aminah Davis added 9 and 8 points, respectively.
Iona was led by Damika Martinez who finished with a game-high 16 points. Aleesha Powell (14 points) and Tomica Bacic (12 points, 12 rebounds) also finished in double-figures for the Gaels.
Saint Peter's returns to MAAC action next Monday, as they face the defending conference champions, Marist College on the road at 7pm. The Peahens fell to Marist 56-54 in their first league game of the year on January 2nd.
