FIGHTING TIGER WOMEN SINK HVCC VIKINGS 61-36 IN TROY, NY

The Hudson Valley Community College women’s basketball team may be nicknamed the Vikings but last night in Troy, NY it was the SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers who played the part of savage invaders showing no mercy to their hosts in posting crushing 61-36 victory in the Mountain Valley Conference contest. With the victory the Fighting Tigers push their season record to 9-1 on the year with a 2-0 record in league play. Cobleskill is currently ranked second in the latest NJCAA Region III Division III Coach’s Poll.

“This has always been a difficult facility to play in during my time here but this was a game that we’re expected to win and that’s what we did tonight with a pretty good defensive effort tonight,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Josh Suttles. “We took away their top two offensive options which was our plan and we confused them with some defensive wrinkles we’re added recently. I’m still surprised about the 15 blocked shots but that is a sign that we did not give them any room to play. Offensively they played a lot of zone but we protected the ball and got it inside against them. We’re 9-1 with eight games on the road and hopefully this schedule will make us tougher come play-off time. Individually I thought that Tanisha (McClinton) did a great job running the offense that Erin O’Rourke was a defensive terror and that Dee Dee (Smith) was a human stat line tonight. There’s always room for improvement getting better every game.” 

Senior NJCAA All-American forward Dee Dee Smith, Monticello, NY, Redemption Christian Academy, led the assault with an impressive 18 point, 11 rebound, seven steal, five blocked shot, two assist performance. The Cobleskill backcourt also contributed heavily to the victory as senior point guard Tanisha McClinton, Poughkeepsie, NY, Poughkeepsie High School, scored 15 points, passed out three assists and grabbed three rebounds on the evening and freshman shooting guard Erinn O’Rourke, South Glens Falls, NY, South Glens Falls High School, chipped in eight points to go with three steals, two rebounds and six blocked shots. Senior center Crystal Ferrer, Bronx, NY, Redemption Christian Academy, made her presence felt by scoring seven points, grabbing seven rebounds and blocking a shot in the victory for Cobleskill.

The Fighting Tigers will finally return home on Saturday December 3rd when they host the Cougars of Clinton Community College for a home contest beginning at 3:00 PM.

TIGER NOTES: The Fighting Tigers blitzed the Vikings defensively blocking 15 shots and picking up 18 steals on the evening. Cobleskill has now won its last three contests against Hudson Valley. Dee Dee Smith has now posted back-to-back double/doubles in the team’s last two road victories. The Fighting Tigers will finish the 2005 portion of their schedule with three home games. Senior Tahara Pleasure, Albany, NY, Albany High School, is a three sport athlete competing in volleyball, basketball and softball for the Fighting Tigers.