Bronx, NY – The women's basketball team took on Lehman College in a CUNYAC contest on Friday, January 23. Up by four points with less than eight minutes to play, a big 17-7 Lehman run proved to be just enough to hold off the Purple and Gold as they fell by a score of 74-64. The loss drops them to 6-10 overall and 3-5 CUNYAC.
 
Three Hawks scored in double figures with freshman Jade Aponte leading the way with 19 points on five triples and two jumpers. Teammate Ashley Yu accounted for the team's other three treys en route to her 15 points while seven of Widly Couloute's 13 points came from the charity stripe. As a team, Hunter shot 46.88 percent in the second half and out-rebounded the Lightning, 39-35.
 
A free throw by Ayanna Hudson was the only point scored by the Purple and Gold in the opening 4:38 as the team struggled to knock down shots and found themselves in an early 9-1 hole. However, they hit their stride and turned the tables, taking a one point lead courtesy of an Aponte three pointer with 1:27 left in the first. Lehman's Amely Rosairo ended the quarter on a layup to give her team the 15-14 advantage heading into the second.
 
In similar fashion, Hunter had troubles finding the bottom of the net in the early stages of the second which opened the doors for their counterparts to go ahead by as much as 13 at one point. Hunter stormed back with a big third quarter, outscoring Lehman by five. Six straight points by Christine Patterson and a bucket by Ashley Arias made it an eight point affair with just under six left to play in the third. After pulling within three, a jumper by Angelica Mejia set the stage for a 50-49 contest with under a minute left in the third act.
 
Couloute's bucket and Aponte's triple to start the final quarter gave the Hawks their first lead since the opening act. Another three pointer by Yu kept the lead at three but Hunter was stifled down the final 6:15, scoring just two points while Lehman was able to muscle out 16, resulting in the Hawk's 10^th loss of the season.
 
Head Coach John Garrett and the rest of the women's basketball team return to action on Wednesday, January 20 for a CUNYAC road game against CSI at 5:30 pm.