NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College women's basketball team moved to 5-0 in conference play with a 95-86 victory over Quinnipiac Friday afternoon at the Hynes Athletics Center. With the win, the Gaels extended their winning streak to a record 11 games in a contest in which they led wire-to-wire.
Sophomore forward Joy Adams led the Gaels with a career high 29 points in the win. Adams also grabbed 19 rebounds in the contest for her 12th double-double of the season.
Junior guard Damika Martinez score 21 points, grabbed five boards and dished out five assists. Junior guard Aleesha Powell scored 20 points, had three assists and went 9-for-10 from the line.
Redshirt senior guard Haley D'Angelo fell one assist short of her first career double-double, finishing with 10 points and nine dimes, tying a career high.
The Gaels got off to a quick and historic start, as Martinez's three pointer with 19:20 remaining in the first half gave her sole possession of first all-time in the category with 168 trifectas.
Powell's three pointer with 14:30 left in the first gave the Gaels their first double digit lead, 19-8, before a layup by Adams with 12:04 extended the margin to a first half high of 17, 27-10.
A 21-12 charge by the visitors cut into the Iona lead, as Gillian Abshire's three pointer with 4:23 left in the period trimmed the Gaels' advantage to eight, 39-31.
The Maroon & Gold countered and ended the period on 10-3 run, taking a 49-34 cushion into the half.
An early second half run by Quinnipiac cut the Iona lead to 10, 56-46, before Iona came back with a trio of three pointers and two Adams free throws gave the Gaels a game high 21 point lead, 67-46, with 12:31 remaining.
With Iona ahead 79-61 with 6:46 left in the contest, the Bobcats went on a 10-1 run to cutting the lead back to single digits, 80-71, on a layup by Brittany McQuain with 4:19 left.
Quinnipiac continued to trim the advantage, as a layup by Nikoline Ostergaard with 2:21 remaining, got the Bobcats within three, 85-82.
Down the stretch Iona was able to get to the line and keep Quinnipiac from tying the contest, as the Gaels went a near perfect 9-11 from the charity stripe in the final 90 seconds of play.
Quinnipiac was led by Ostergaard's career high 26 points and McQuain, who posted a double-double on 23 points and 12 rebounds.
The Maroon & Gold are back in action Monday evening, when they visit fellow MAAC unbeaten Marist for a 7:00 pm tip.
