JAMAICA, NY --- (www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College women's basketball took an early lead and never looked back Friday evening to snap a two-game losing streak with a convincing 61-38 CUNYAC home win against the Medgar Evers College Cougars (2-11, 0-6 CUNYAC) inside York College Gymnasium.  

Mac-Dege Dessources put York on the board 43 seconds in to give the Cardinals the lead for good.  Moments later, Kristina Sierra scored two of her 13-first-half points to build a six-point cushion (11-5).  With 3:52 left in the opening quarter, Jo-Ann Elliott sliced the Cougar deficit to two (11-9) with back-to-back jumpers.  York took control of the game in the second period when Sierra drilled a 3-pointer to ignite a 13-0 run over the final 5:29 to lead by 18 (32-14) at the break. 

Following a layup from White to close the gap to 13 (37-24) with 3:12 showing on the third quarter clock, York closed out the stanza with a 9-2 spurt to lead by 20 (46-26) heading into the final period.  Playing with a double-digit lead for the final 23:48, York extended its advantage to a game-high 27 points (61-34) with 2:33 remaining. 

Cami Melson poured in a career-high 15 points (6-of-9 FG) to go with six rebounds,  four assists, three steals and one block to lead York. Dessources compiled 15 points (7-of-14 FG), 11 rebounds, four blocks and one steal to post her ninth double-double of the season.  Sierra followed with 13 points and eight rebounds while Ellma Hodzic dished out six assists and nabbed four steals. Destiny Drummond and Dayana Jacome each poked away two steals.   

Cyndi White paced the Cougars with 12 points, 12 rebounds and two steals. 

York finished the contest shooting 37.1 percent from the field (23-of-62),25 percent from 3-point territory (4-of-16) and 47.8 percent from the free-throw line (11-of-23) as Medgar Evers hit on 27.9 percent from the floor (17-of-61),12.5 percent from long distance (1-of-8) and 50 percent from the charity stripe (3-of-6).   The Cardinals held a +8 rebounding margin (50-42) and scored 18 second-chance points off 20 offensive rebounds. York outplayed Medgar Evers in assists (16-11), steals (14-7) and blocks (7-1) while converting 29 Cougar turnovers into 31 points.  

The Cardinals (6-10, 3-4 CUNYAC) remain at home next Friday (Jan. 24) for a CUNYAC matchup against the Brooklyn College Bulldogs (10-5, 4-0 CUNYAC) at 5:30 p.m. inside York College Gymnasium. 

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