Lions Topple #8 Union College

North Branch, NJ - The RVCC women's basketball team knocked off a top 10 opponent for the second time this season, defeating #8 ranked Union College 75-66 at RVCC on Tuesday night. The Lions battled back from 16 points down in the third quarter to stun the Owls for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. 

The initial quarter saw a lot of back and forth in the first few minutes. Lucia Noin tied the game at 13 apiece with a driving layup before the Owls would go on a 6-0 run to take a 19-13 lead. After a Quanajah Felder offensive rebound and put back and a free throw a piece from Ja'Nya Mills and Julia Fontanillo the Lions were able to close out the first quarter down 2, 17-19. With just two minutes to go in the second quarter the Lions were down 8 when Fontanillo drove to the basket for the bucket and foul to cut the lead to 24-29. Another layup by Fontanillo off a Freya Rauschenfels offensive rebound cut the Owls lead to 26-29 with just a minute to play. The visitors would go on to make four straight points to take a seven point lead into the half. 

Midway through the third quarter the Lions found themselves in a very dangerous spot after Union made two and one's to take a commanding 48-32 lead. Immediately after Kerine Thomas hit the first of her two second half three's to cut the lead to 13. Another Felder offensive rebound putback and Noin layup cut the lead to 9 points. The Lions would continue to rally and cut the lead down to 8 points to start the fourth, 44-52. 

Julia Fontanillo found Kerine Thomas and Judith Vila for back to back threes to cut the Owls' lead to 52-54. A Noin midrange jumpshot off a pass from Vega Gil gave the Lions their first lead of the second half at 58-57. With less than two minutes to go Thomas would steal a cross court pass from the Owls and take it coast to coast for the layup to give the Lions a 67-61 lead. The visitors tried to extend the game by putting the Lions at the line, but the trio of Thomas, Fontanillo, and Noin combined to go 15 for 17 from the charity stripe to ice the game. 

Fontanillo filled the stat sheet for the Lions while being the only player on the team to register 40 minutes. She finished the night with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and team highs of 4 assists and 3 steals. Noin lead the team again in points and rebounds finishing with 23 points and 12 boards. Thomas knocked down a team high three tri-fectas en route to 14 points as the only other Lion in double figures. The team got a much needed spark from the bench as Judith Vila and Quanajah Felder contributed significantly to the win. Felder had 3 offensive rebounds and 6 points while Vila had 8 points and 3 boards. Gil and Rauschenfels had 8 and 6 rebounds respectively to help the Lions control the glass.

With the win the Lions move to 20-5 on the season and take on the Colts from Middlesex College on Thursday night at 5 PM.