Nov. 29, 2011

JAMAICA, N.Y. - Tuesday night's conference battle at York College between the Lehman women's basketball team and the City College of New York was decided by one thing.

Lehman had Leslie Mencia and City College did not.

The Lightning senior was tremendous against the Beavers, contributing her best performance of the young season by pouring in a game-high 33, 28 of which came during a virtuoso second half show, as Lehman topped City College 72-59.

Trailing 36-23 following an ugly first half that featured 18 Lightning turnovers, head coach Eric Harrison turned to a full court press, a move that caused the Beavers to unravel.  Lehman's defensive pressure combined with Mencia hitting from all points on the court quickly changed the tenor of the game.

Over the first 10 minutes of the second half the Lehman senior was responsible for 16 of the Lightning's 22 points, which helped turn the team's 13 point deficit into a three point lead at 45-42 with 10:05 remaining. 

From there the Lightning slowly padded its cushion.  While Mencia continued to wreak havoc from the three-point line down into the post, she didn't do it alone as Alicia McDaniel, Shalaya Nieves andPaula Robinson combined for 13 points down the stretch.

Lehman could easily have been facing an even greater uphill climb in the second half had it not been for senior Amanda De La Cruz, who notched 11 first half points to keep the Lightning within striking distance.  De La Cruz added eight assists, seven rebounds and six steals on the night, and was all over the court when the Lightning turned up its defensive pressure to start the second half.  Nieves was also a second half spark for the Lighting and finished with eight points and six rebounds.

The Lightning will put its four game winning streak on the line on Friday when it faces Hunter College.