Hofstra women's basketball falls in close contest to Sacred Heart

The Hofstra University women’s basketball team lost 63-60 to the Sacred Heart University Pioneers on Sunday, Nov. 19. Despite the loss, Sorelle Ineza led the Pride with a 20-point performance in Fairfield, Connecticut. The Pride dropped to 2-2 in the season, while Sacred Heart moved to 3-1.

 After Emma Von Essen got the Pride within one point, the Pioneers scored eight straight points to take an 18-9 lead with just under 5 minutes left in the first quarter. Hofstra was only able to add to their point total in the first quarter with a 3-pointer from Ineza with under 2 minutes left.

 Up by nine, Sacred Heart added five more points at the start of the second. Hofstra wasn’t fazed and went on a 12-0 run which saw Von Essen score eight straight points, followed by a free throw and a layup from Ineza. This cut the Pioneers’ lead to 26-23.

 Despite Nalyce Dudley’s layup to make it 28-23, the Pride scored three more points to finish the half and make it a two-point deficit. Ja’Miyah Bryant hit a free throw and Zyheima Swint scored a layup to make it 28-26, but Amelia Wood secured a four-point lead by hitting a jumper at the end of the half.

 The second half began with two straight 3-pointers for the Pioneers, both scored by Wood. Ally Knights got the Pride within seven with a triple of her own, but the Pioneers weren’t showing any vulnerability. They were able to keep a lead for the rest of the third quarter. Two straight 3-pointers, first by Sierra Johnson and second by Wood, made it a 10-point lead for Sacred Heart.

 At the start of the fourth quarter, Hofstra was down 51-42. Ineza started off the quarter with a bucket behind the 3-point line, but four free throws all by Ny’Ceara Pryor made it a 10-point Pioneer lead.

 A 3-pointer by Von Essen and three converted buckets behind the charity stripe by Brooke Anya brought the Sacred Heart lead down to four. Sajada Bonner brought it back to a nine-point lead for the Pioneers with a 3-pointer and a 2-pointer in the paint.

 With just over 1 minute left in the game, Ineza brought the lead back down to four points for Sacred Heart with a 3-pointer. She then brought the score down to two with a jumper in the paint; however, Pryor scored a free throw which sealed the fate of the game, giving the Pioneers the win.

 The Pride set a season-high with 10 3-pointers in the game, both Von Essen and Ineza hitting three each. Despite the loss, Hofstra had a strong rebound game, having 44 in comparison to Sacred Heart’s 32. Ineza, Swint and Von Essen all finished with double-digit points: Ineza with 20, Swint with 18 and Von Essen with 10.

The Pride gets a relaxing week off for Thanksgiving before returning to action at home on Saturday, Nov. 25, against the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders. Tip-off is at 2 p.m. at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex in Hempstead, New York.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Matteo Bracco