Fordham Women Edge Davidson on Senior Day
By Howard Goldin
BRONX, NEW YORK, MARCH 2- The Fordham Rams women’s basketball team (19‐10, 11‐5) played its final basketball game of the regular season at The Rose Hill Gym on Fordham’s Bronx campus. Since it was the final home game of the season as well, the four graduating players were honored on the court prior to the contest.
After not starting a game in her first two injury affected years at Fordham, Emily Tapio started every game in her junior and senior seasons. The Brewster, New York native is the leading scorer on the team, averaging 12 points per game. Of even greater importance to her future life, the Business Administration major was named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Another Business Administration major, Liz Milner of Cold Spring, New York was also named to the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Milner has not seen action during the past two seasons because of a torn ACL she suffered prior to the 2013‐14 season. Despite her injury, she is always present at games and strongly supports her teammates.
Taryn Durant started 15 games this year after only one start during her first three years at Fordham. Coach Stephanie Gaitley praised the Psychology major after the final home game for her consistency on and off the court and remarked, “She is a joy to work with.”
Tiffany Ruffin is not a Fordham senior. She graduated from Boston College in 2013 and is currently working towards a Master’s degree in Media Management at Fordham. Ruffin has fit in easily and quickly with her teammates. She directs the Fordham offense as its point guard. Gaitley recognizes the importance of the newcomer and has said, “We will go as far as Tif does.”
The Davidson Wildcats (5‐24, 1‐15) were Fordham’s final regular season opponent. They entered the game with a 10-game losing streak, so most observers believed the Rams would have an easy win.
Although the visitors took a 4‐3 lead in the first minute of play, it was the final advantage for the Wildcats in the first half. Fordham then, as expected, dominated play with a 20‐6 scoring run, which gave the Rams a 23‐10 lead at 8:33. The half ended with Fordham leading, 31‐21.
A layup by Durant at 12:06 in the second half brought the Rams another double digit advantage. It appeared to many that the Rams would now coast to victory. The visitors then scored 12 unanswered points to take a 42‐40 lead with 7:14 remaining in the contest. The change in the game led Gaitley to remark after the game concluded, “We (Fordham) need to do a better job to stay composed during an opposing run.”
Fordham on the strength of its seniors, closed the contest with a 14‐4 scoring run to win, 54‐46. The three seniors who played, Tapio, Ruffin and Durant, scored 16 of Fordham’s final 18 points.
Gaitley looked upon the bright side of the surprisingly difficult contest, “This was actually good for us as the conference tournament is going to be a grind.”
Fordham finished the season fourth in the Atlantic‐10, thus, giving them a bye in the first two rounds of the conference championship, which begins on March 4. They will next play at 2 pm on March 6 in the quarter‐final round of the A‐10 Tournament.
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