CORTLAND, N.Y. – William Smith senior Sasha Borenstein (Agoura Hills, CA) tied a school record with nine 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as the Herons defeated host Cortland, 81-63, in a non-league game. The contest was a make-up of a game that was postponed on Dec. 14.
Borenstein hit 9-of-14 shots from the field, including 9-of-13 treys. She tied the school record for 3-pointers in a game set by Jill Brower in 1992. Borenstein had previously made eight three's in a game twice in her career, including versus Potsdam in the Herons' most recent prior game in December.
Chloe Hayter (Lititz, PA/Warwick) added 18 points and seven rebounds and Erin O'Brien (Buffalo/Nardin Academy) finished with 15 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the Herons (6-2). Jacqueline Murphy (Slingerlands/Holy Names) led the team with 10 rebounds.
Cortland (6-3) was led by senior Megan Touhey's (Maine/Maine-Endwell) 18 points. She also recorded eight rebounds and four assists. Senior Grace Williamson (Olean) scored 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting and grabbed five boards.
Junior Erin Wolstenholme (Oneonta) totaled 12 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. She matched her career high in both rebounds and steals. Junior Lindsey Minor (Wheatley Heights/St. John the Baptist) chipped in with eight points, a career-high seven rebounds and a career-high tying five assists.
Touhey scored seven of Cortland's first nine points as the Red Dragons grabbed a 9-0 lead three minutes into the game. William Smith answered with an 18-6 run, capped by three Borenstein 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, and the Herons led 18-15 with 12:02 left.
The guests eventually led by 15 points at 42-27 after Borenstein's fifth 3-pointer of the half with 1:36 left. Cortland, however, scored the last four points of the period and the first five points of the second half to pull within 42-36.
Cortland eventually tied the game at 48-48 on a Touhey jumper with 15:09 left, but the Red Dragons never grabbed the lead. The Herons mounted a 12-0 run, including six points by Hayter and five points by Ali Pliszka (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius), to turn a 51-49 lead into a 63-49 advantage with 9:02 left. The Red Dragons got back to within eight at 66-58 on a Minor layup with 7:04 left, but Borenstein hit her eighth trey of the game with 5:46 left and the Herons led by double figures the rest of the way. Borenstein made her record-tying 3-pointer with 3:22 on the clock.
William Smith shot 50 percent from the field (25-of-50) and 43 percent from 3-point range (12-of-28). Cortland finished at 33 percent from the floor (26-of-80) and 21 percent from the arc (6-of-29). The Red Dragons held a 44-42 rebounding advantage, including 22-8 on the offensive glass.
Cortland will resume SUNYAC play on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 6 p.m. at defending league champion New Paltz. Cortland is currently tied with Buffalo State for first place in the conference with a 2-0 mark.