THROGGS NECK, N.Y. - The Yeshiva University women's basketball team closed out the home portion of the season with a Skyline Conference loss to St. Joseph's College Long Island, 74-57, at Riesenberg Gymnasium on Saturday evening. The Maccabees drop to 7-15 overall (5-15 Skyline), while the Golden Eagles advance to 15-7 for the season (12-7 Skyline) and clinch the No. 5 seed in the upcoming Skyline Conference Championships. 

Rookie sensation Daniella Bessler led the Maccabees with her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and tying a career-high 15 rebounds. The Brookline native also forced four steals and dished out three assists. Junior Yuval Nitzan had 11 points, dished out six assists, and forced three steals. Junior Daniella Rothman netted eight points, brought down six rebounds, delivered three assists, and forced a pair of steals. Classmate Renee Benjamini had a career-high eight points, while snatching five boards. Sophomore Shai Rahamim added eight points and two assists.

The Maccabees got off to a strong start in the game as back-to-back 3-point baskets by Rahamim propelled Yeshiva to an 8-4 advantage with 6:35 remaining in the first quarter. After the Golden Eagles pulled to within two, Nitzan answered with a layup to increase YU's lead to four, at 10-6, with 5:10 to go in the quarter. However, the Golden Eagles took the momentum by going on an 11-2 run to take a 17-12 benefit with 1:16 left in the opening stanza. With Yeshiva down by two and with the ball in the closing seconds, Bessler capitalized on a layup attempt with one tick left on the clock to narrow St. Joseph's lead to 17-16 after 10 minutes of play.

During the opening minute of the second period, Rothman connected on a jumper to put YU back up by one. From that point on, the Golden Eagles took over the game by going on a 27-4 run to take a commanding 44-22 hold with 1:28 remaining in the half. 

Yeshiva improved in the third, and then outscored St. Joseph's by an 18-12 margin in the fourth, but it was not enough as St. Joseph's secured the Skyline win. 

For the Maccabees, graduate student Miriam Kazlow tallied four points, seven rebounds, and forced a pair of steals. Sophomore Kira Elbaum brought down eight rebounds, while junior Gabrielle Kupferman tallied two points, a rebound, an assist, and a steal.

For the Golden Eagles, sophomore Lanyah Ford had a productive game with 15 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and five steals. Freshman Hailey Clancy had 12 points, while junior Alyssa Adomaites generated 10 points, four assists, and a pair of boards.

Yeshiva will close out the season with a non-conference game at Pratt Institute on Tuesday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.