WOMEN STUN USMMA

The New York women's basketball team exacted some revenge last night, defeating United States Merchant Marine Academy by a score of 49 to 44 to improve to 2-0 on the season. Last season the Knights lost to USMMA by a score of 71 to 47.

Inside and out, Berkeley women’s basketball is proving to be difficult to beat at the start of the 2011-2012 season. USMMA threw just about everything they had at Berkeley, but junior forward Taisha Sherman (Vanguard/New York, NY) was just too much.

Sherman sparked the Knights (2-0) with 24 points on 8-for-18 shooting from the field while sinking 8 of 12 shots from the foul line. Freshman guard Janay Thomas (Longwood/Queens, NY)and junior guard Oliva Byfield (Washington Irving/Queens, NY) contributed eight points apiece. Sophomore center Rahinet Koti (Walton/Bronx, NY) was a force to be reckoned with on the inside, grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking three shots.

The game was a back-and-forth affair in the opening half. The Knights took the lead for good at 13-12 on Toliglhia Archer basket with 4:59 left in the first half, although the Merchant Marines kept within striking distance. The Mariners trailed for the entire second half, but came within 33-32 on a basket with 10:46 remaining in the game. But the Knights went on a 12-5 run to extend their lead to 45-37 with 4:52 left.

The Merchant Marines rallied back on a 7-2 spurt of their own, pulling within 47-44 with 11 seconds remaining before Sherman sank two free throws to ice the game.

Berkeley will be back in action on November 18th against Umass-Boston in the Umass Tip-Off Classic.