NEW YORK, N.Y.—For the first time in nine seasons there will be a new City University of New York Athletic Conference Women's Basketball Champion. That's because the York College women's basketball team knocked out eight-time defending CUNYAC Champion Baruch College, 72-63, in the first round of the CUNYAC Tournament.
 
The Cardinals, who earned their first playoff victory since the 2002-03 season, will now advance to the quarterfinal round where they will visit the City College of New York on Sunday at 3 p.m. 
 
York's Jigcara Grant was at it again, grabbing 30+ rebounds for the second time this week and third time this season.  She finished with 36, two short of the NCAA record that she tied earlier in the season, and also had 14 points.  Angelika Ruggiano added 26 points and moved into fourth place on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,112 career points.  Shauncia McClendon scored a career-high 21 points and Juliet Matthews tied her career high of nine points. York is now 6-19 on the season.
 
Baruch's Veronica Ganzi had 35 points, while Shannon Barrett finished with 17 points, 16 rebounds, six blocks and three steals. The Bearcats finish the season at 10-15.
 
Impressively, the Cardinals never trailed in the game, with Baruch only tying the game twice in the early going.  Although York never trailed, the Bearcats were on their heels for most of the game.
 
The Cardinals jumped to an early seven-point lead (11-4) after a Ruggiano three-pointer midway through the opening quarter.  Baruch briefly closed to within one, only to see York extend the lead up to six at the end of the quarter.
 
The second quarter and third quarters were more of the same, with York holding a narrow lead but never relinquishing the advantage.  They led by as much as eight in the second quarter and went into the half with a six-point lead.  In the third, York once again led by as much as eight until Baruch closed the deficit down to two points heading in the fourth quarter.
 
York opened the fourth with consecutive buckets from McClendon to go up by six and after a Baruch basket, the Cardinals got another three from Ruggiano to extend the lead to seven.
 
Late in the fourth quarter, Baruch cut the lead down to four points (65-61) and looked like they could make the late comeback, but on York's next possession Grant grabbed another offensive board and got a put-back for a six-point lead. A Veronica Ganzi jumper by the Bearcats cut it back down to four points, but two possessions later, Ruggiano was fouled and made two clutch free throws to give York a six-point lead with 30 seconds left.  Ruggiano then sealed the game on the defensive side with a steal on Baruch's next possession.
 
Admissions to the quarterfinal round at CCNY is free. There will also be live stats at yorkathletics.com/coverage.