RIVERDALE, N.Y. – The Maritime basketball team fell to league-leading Mount St. Vincent on Saturday afternoon by the score of 71-60 at the Peter Jay Sharp Center.
 
Maritime was led by senior Patrick MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius) on 8-of-12 shooting for 21 points, while also pulling down 13 rebounds. Sophomore Brendan McGovern (Seaford, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) was second on the team with 12 points, while rookie Brennan Whelan (Northport, N.Y./Northport) tallied 10 points in the effort.
 
Maritime also got four points each from sophomore Michael Walker (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) and freshman Chris Ruscillo (Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place), while freshman Nick McTighe (Merrick, N.Y./Holy Trinity) was 1-for-1 from the field as he knocked down a three-pointer. Seniors John Liccese (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman), Tim McQuail (Middle Village, N.Y./Cathedral Prep) and Josh Raime (Elmont, N.Y./Holy Cross) each had two points, with Liccese leading the team with six assists on the game.
 
Unlike when the teams met at Riesenberg Hall earlier in the month, Maritime hung with the Dolphins in the early stages of the game and held an 11-7 lead after a Ruscillo fastbreak layup with 13:11 left in the half.
 
Maritime continued to hold the lead into the closing minutes of the half, but were never able to extend the lead beyond four. Mount St. Vincent continued to keep the Privateers close and eventually tied the game at 21 before taking a five-point lead into the halftime break.
 
The Dolphins opened the second half with five unanswered points to take a 10-point lead at 36-26 before a MacDonald layup ended the lengthy Dolphin run. Maritime got the 10-point lead cut in half as Whelan connected on a fastbreak layup off of a steal. McGovern followed with three straight from the free-throw line to make it a two-point game but Maritime was unable to get the next defensive stop.
 
Mount St. Vincent scored the next eight points as the game tilted into the final 10 minutes of regulation. The Dolphins were able to extend the lead to 14 on three occasions in the closing stages and hung on for the 11-point win at 71-60.
 
Maritime (8-11, 5-10 Skyline) will return home to Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium on Tuesday evening for a 7 p.m. start against the Farmingdale Rams.
 
Mount St. Vincent (13-6, 11-3 Skyline) holds on to a one-game lead over second place Farmingdale, and will not play again until Wednesday, as the Dolphins host Yeshiva at 8 p.m. from the Peter Jay Sharp Center.