NEW YORK, NY - Taking on their penultimate non-conference opponent of the season, the Yeshiva Women's Basketball Team fell to Hunter College, losing to the Hawks by a score of 62-57 on Thursday, Dec. 12.
 
Offensively, the Maccabees saw three players score in double digits. Shai Rahamim led the way with 20 points, Daniella Bessler tallied her second straight double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Naomi Sigman came just one board short of her own double-double with a stat line of 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, Yeshiva enjoyed yet another dominant performance from Fortune Hanan, with the standout junior putting up three blocks, three steals and five rebounds on the night.
 
With the loss, the Macs are now 0-10 on the season.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Maccabees jumped out to an early lead to start the first quarter, going up 9-4 through the first three minutes of play thanks to buckets from Sigman, Rahamim and Bessler. While this advantage would hold through most of the quarter, Hunter would overtake Yeshiva with 1:01 remaining on the clock, carrying an 18-13 edge into the break.
   
• Yeshiva's deficit would continue to grow throughout the second quarter. While Bessler's offensive firepower kept the Macs competitive through the first five minutes, with her shots accounting for eight of YU's 10 points, a 13-2 Hunter run left YU limping into the half, down 42-23.
   
• YU continued to score on a consistent clip during the third quarter, seeing baskets from Sigman, Rahamim and Tali Cohen. However, the effort was not enough to match Hunter's output, as the Hawks grew their lead out to 25 points at 60-35.
   
• As if a switch had been flipped, the Maccabees exploded in the fourth quarter, a rejuvenated squad on both sides of the ball. Basket after basket sliced into YU's deficit, while Hunter's previously potent offense could only struggle in vain as a smothering Yeshiva defense turned away nearly every shot, tallying six steals and three blocks over the ten minute period. A deep three from Rahamim shrank the margin between the two teams back into single-digits, with YU trailing just 62-54 with 3:05 remaining. From there however, the Macs would manage just three more points, and despite outscoring their CUNYAC opponent by a margin of 22-2 in the final quarter, would come up short, 62-57.

 
MAC LEADERS

• Points: Rahamim (20), Bessler (17), Sigman (11)
• Assists: Rahamim (6), Bessler (5), Cohen (3)
• Rebounds: Bessler (10), Sigman (9), Cohen (7)
• Steals: Rahamim (4), Bessler (3), Hanan (3)
• Blocks: Hanan (3), Bessler (1)

 
UP NEXT
Taking on their final non-conference opponent of the season, the Maccabees are set to host Eastern Mennonite University on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 1:00 PM.