Women’s basketball’s close match results in Viking Victor

The Hudsonian Student Newspaper Wednesday, November, 20Wednesday, November, 20 0 Comments Ayoub, Basketball, Brinson, Hudson Valley Community College, HVCC, Jasmine, Omsalama, Team, Vikings, Women, Women's basketball

The Hudsonian Student Newspaper | The Hudsonian Jasmine Brinson | The Hudsonian Student Newspaper

By: Omsalama Ayoub

Business Manager

Vikings’ women’s basketball team won 86-85 in a scrappy contest against Jefferson Community College’s Cannoneers on Friday, Nov. 8.

Friday’s game charts the beginning of the athletic season for both teams, making it Jefferson’s second loss of the season and the Vikings’ second win.

Ashlyn Eyles, a cannoneer point guard, displayed excellent dribbling, ball control and passing skills in the first quarter, while her teammate Bailey Zicari, Cannoneer guard, maneuvered the Vikings defense line flawlessly.

Jefferson controlled the pace of the game.

“The speed of the game helps me play,” said Anna VanRoy, criminal justice major and forward for the Vikings, who made the majority of the free throws.

The Vikings’ offense boxed out the Cannoneers’ players at every attempt near the hoop.

In the second quarter, the Cannoneers passing overwhelmed the Vikings defense allowing them to score a series of layups.

Jefferson was ahead by seven points with six and a half minutes up on the scoreboard.

Viking, and early childhood education major, Kennedi Leak, was in control of the ball when Jefferson attempted a steal, but instead tackled the player.

Emily Erickson, adolescent education and global studies major, and point guard for the Vikings who averages 20 points a game, sunk a layup during the second quarter and earned her team many free throw points.

Free throws ultimately decided the fate of the game where both teams excelled at seamlessly passing and communicating with each other.

“We communicated a lot better than we have in previous games,” said VanRoy. “Second win feels pretty good when it’s a close game like that.”

Hudson Valley had a three point lead at the end of the second quarter, but during the third quarter, Jefferson scored 27 points, whereas the Vikings only made 20.

The score was tied 37-37 at halftime. The score reflects multiple free throws due to charging and intentional fouls committed by both teams. However, there were no technical fouls called throughout the game.

According to VanRoy, the best play of the game was exercising science student and Viking forward, Alexandra Rifenburg’s, three pointer shot that ultimately resulted in Hudson Valley’s victory.

Moving forward, VanRoy plans on growing not only as a basketball player, but also as a teammate and leader, matching the attitude their coach tries to instill in them.

“It makes the job worth it when you can see the potential in somebody,” said Robert Coleman, coach of the women’s basketball team. “I can try to tell them [and] eventually when they [see] it they’re like ‘oh wow coach I can see it in myself,’” Coleman continued. “It happens a lot when we do strength and conditioning, they start adding weight and you can see the confidence build [with] literally every pound they add.”

However, on Saturday, Nov. 9, the Vikings lost to Herkimer with a final score of 85-54.