BROOKYLN, N.Y. - The Columbia women's basketball team rallied in the second half of the game Sunday, and held a lead over Long Island with nine minutes left to play, but couldn't hold off the Blackbirds, as LIU topped the Lions, 58-50.
Long Island took a quick lead in the game, with the Blackbirds scoring four points in 15 seconds. Senior forward Ashley Palmer had a layup off the tip off, and on Columbia's inbounds, the Blackbirds stole the ball and Palmer struck again with a layup, putting LIU up 4-0 at 19:45.
Junior Tyler Simpson, starting for the first time this year, had four jumpers in the first five minutes to keep Columbia in the game, but at 16:31, LIU junior Ebony Davis started a run. The forward scored nine straight points for the Blackbirds to put LIU up 16-8 at 14:33. Two more layups by Long Island widened the lead to 20-8 with 10 minutes left in the half.
Junior Nicole Santucci added six points in the first half to keep the Lions in the hunt, but Long Island maintained the lead, and led at the half, 38-23.
The Lions came alive in the second half. Senior Melissa Shafer opened scoring for both teams in the second half with a three-pointer at 17:10, and followed it with a jumper at 16:31 to close Long Island's lead to ten, 38-28. Simpson stole the ball from Long Island on the next play, and sophomore Taylor Ward landed a jumper on the baseline to bring the Lions within striking distance, 38-30, with 16:11 left to play.
Columbia continued to chip away at the lead. Junior Taylor Ball had a steal and a layup at 12:39, and a jumper from junior Brittany Simmons at 11:24 cut the lead to three, as Long Island led 38-35.
Two minutes later, Simmons grabbed a rebound from a missed shot by LIU, and the Lions pushed it down the court. Ward was waiting on the three point line, and Simmons kicked the ball out to her. The sophomore drained the three to give the Lions the lead for the first time in the game, 39-38 with 9:31 left to play.
Columbia's defense held LIU scoreless in the second half until the 8:48 mark, when Palmer was fouled and made both free throws to make it 41-40 Columbia, with 8:40 left. 40 seconds later, a three by Marika Sprow gave Long Island the lead once again, 43-41.
Long Island pulled ahead in the last seven minutes of the game, and Columbia couldn't quite make the comeback, falling to the Blackbirds, 58-50.
Senior Melissa Shafer and junior Taylor Ward led the Lions with 10 points each, while Tyler Simpson added eight points, six rebounds and five steals, and junior Nicole Santucci had a career-high seven points in the loss. Junior Taylor Ball also had seven points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Columbia is now 1-9 on the season, heading into the holiday break. The Lions will be back in action Wednesday, December 28, for a 7 p.m. game at Fairleigh Dickinson.
