Skyline Champions for the Second Time! Photo from OldWestburyPanthers.com
Old Westbury women’s basketball’s winning season is over. The Skyline Champions season came to an unfortunate end on Friday March 2nd with a 90-69 loss to Montclair State University in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
After closing the season on a five-game winning streak, Old Westbury continued their dominance in the opening game of the Skyline Conference against Farmingdale State.
Charlotte Renker had a dominant game by recording a double-double of 16 points and 22 rebounds, along with three blocks. Bridgid McNeill recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds. Tori Bellings, along with Renker and McNeill, played a big role in the Panthers’s offense as all three players connected on five shots each. Old Westbury picked up a 60-48 win over Farmingdale State.
Renker maintained her productivity in the following game against Mount Saint Mary by putting up another double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds. Bellings scoring and defense played a big role in the game. As a whole, Old Westbury’s defense came up strong in the second quarter by holding their opponents to four points. With a win over Mount Saint Mary, Old Westbury clinched their second-ever Skyline Conference. Their previous conference championship came in the 2015-16 season.
Old Westbury was poised to make noise in the NCAA Tournament with their experienced players and a winning season. Montclair State came out strong and maintained their balance throughout the game. They posted 20-plus points in the final three quarters, which included a 28-point burst in the final quarter and picked up a 21 point win over Old Westbury. Montclair State connected on 51.8 percent of their shots from the field and 54.5 percent of their three-pointers.
Despite the loss to Montclair State, the Panthers finished their winning season with a 23-4 record and the Skyline Conference title. With a well-balanced roster of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, don’t be surprised if the Old Westbury team replicate the same success next season and makes an impact in the NCAA Tournament.
