JAMAICA, NY --- (
www.YORKATHLETICS.com) York College women's basketball completed their season Tuesday evening with a non-conference faceoff against the Pratt Institute Cannoneers (0-17). After a back-and-forth first half, the Cardinals pulled away for a 54-45 triumph inside York College Gymnasium, marking the first victory under the stewardship of first-year head coach
Jason Marshall.
"This victory means a lot to myself and the team. Not only is it my first win as a head coach, but it is a reward to the girls hard work, endurance, and improvement this season."-stated coach Marshall
How it Happened
- A jumper from Kylie Grant gave Pratt an early 6-3 lead.
- Two freebies by Madison Plaza at the 1:10 mark capped off an 8-3 best to give the Cardinals an 11-8 edge.
- Almudena Valenzuela ended the first-quarter scoring with a 3-point play to give Pratt a 13-11 advantage.
- York shot out of a cannon in the second frame, blitzing Pratt 7-2 to begin the quarter to take a five-point lead (20-15).
- Grant drilled a triple to highlight a Cannoneers 8-0 spurt to give them a 23-20 advantage with 2:54 on the clock.
- A downtown connection by Plaza with 53 seconds before the break made it 27-26.
- With both teams bearing down defensively, Niya Witherspoon's free throw for Pratt tied the game at 31 with 3:52 remaining in the third period.
- The Cardinals sprinted ahead after that, outscoring the Cannoneers 7-0 to end the quarter at 38-31.
- Following 3-point play by Witherspoon to make the score 40-36 at the 8:11 mark of the fourth, Alicia Gumbs helped key a 10-0 scoring spree to give the Cardinals a 50-36 edge with 4:17 remaining.
- Heather Song's jumper for Pratt with a little over a minute on the clock closed out the scoring with York claiming a 54-45 win.
Leading the Cardinals
- Gumbs paced the squad with a career-high 34 points (14-of-25 FG, 4-of-9 3FG). The guard also had an all-around performance with nine boards, five assists, two blocks, and six steals.
- Plaza added 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
- Imani Gibson claimed a game-best 18 rebounds and totaled two swipes.
- Tyler Dazey swatted her first shot of the season.
For Pratt
- Grant recorded a double-double with 21 points (4-of-10 3FG) and 10 rebounds.
- Witherspoon produced 13 points (3-of-6 FG, 7-of-9 FT) and hauled in 10 boards.
- Almudena Valenzuela dished out a team-leading six dimes.
Inside the Box Score
The Cardinals shot 37.9 percent (22-of-85) from the floor and made a season-high five triples. Pratt hit on 35.8 percent (16-of-62) from the field, 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from downtown, and 64.3 percent (9-of-14) from the charity stripe. York had an edge in the rebound (40-30), assist (10-9), and steal (10-8) categories. Utilizing their driving ability, the Cardinals dominated the inside, outscoring Pratt 30-15 in paint points.
Bringing back 90 percent of their scoring in 2024-25, the Cardinals graduate a two-member class of
Tyler Dazey (2023-24) and
Nadaysia Nivar (2023-24) as they look to build up their program under first-year head coach
Jason Marshall.
"We had a season filled with challenges which helped the team grow individually and collectively. I am extremely proud of their resilience, toughness, and commitment to the program and each other."-Mashall added
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