Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College women's basketball team opened the 2005-2006 NJAC season tonight at the Bradley Center In Mahwah playing host to the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers Newark. Ramapo fell short, 58-62 in the final minute of the game falling to 2-1 overall, 0-1 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Rutgers Newark improves to 2-1 overall, 1-0 in the conference.
Ramapo jumped out to a 4-2 lead to start the night and rookie DENEE VADELL (East Rutherford, NJ) hit a jumper with just under 17 minutes left to spark an 11-0 Ramapo run to grab a 15-4 lead. The Roadrunners added seven more points and the Scarlet Raiders netted eight of their own to post a 22-10 score at the 10:21 mark before the Scarlet Raiders answered with an 11-0 run of their own to close the gap, 21-22, capped off by a three-pointer by Toni Roselli (Garfield, NJ). Ramapo finished the half sinking ten more while the Scarlet Raiders sunk eight wrapping up the half, 32-29, Ramapo up by three. Ramapo shot 12-27 in the first 20 minutes (44%) while Rutgers Newark hit 11-29, (38%).
The two teams fought to the finish in the final 20 minutes with the lead changing three times over the course of the half. Roselli hit a three just one minute in and Nerlande Nicolas (Maplewood, NJ) followed with a second three-pointer to take a 35-32 lead. Rutgers Newark held the lead until just over two minutes left in the game when senior LISA FISCHMAN (Bloomfield, NJ) hit a jumper at 2:51 and VADELL followed with a lay-up to take the lead, 58-56. The game remained scoreless for the next minute until Nicolas sunk a lay-up tying the game for the fifth time of the night, 58-58. Ramapo missed their next two opportunities to sink a basket and with two Ramapo fouls with 00:14 seconds left, Nicolas hit four key free-throws defeating the Roadrunners, 62-58 in Mahwah.
VADELL finished the night hitting 7-12 from the field and 2-3 from the three-point arc posting 17 points. VADELL added ten boards for the double-double and rookie KHIADA EVANS (Newark, NJ) and junior KEONA PALMER (Port Reading, NJ) each added ten points in the loss. PALMER grabbed eight rebounds and EVANS dished out a team high five assists. The Roadrunners finished the night hitting 21-57 (39%).
For the Scarlet Raiders, Nicolas led the way with 17 points hitting 5-11 from the field and a perfect 4-4 from the line while Youngor Kehleay (Eatontown, NJ) followed with 15 points, 6-10. Christyal Anderson (Newark, NJ) brought down ten boards and added eight points while Roselli dished out a team high four assists and netted nine points. Roselli also grabbed four steals in the team's first NJAC win of the season. Rutgers Newark shot 23-58 (40%) in the game.
Ramapo will travel to Stevens Institute on Monday, November 28th for a 7:00 PM start while the Scarlet Raiders will travel to New Jersey City on Wednesday, November 30th for a 6:00 PM start.
