Newark, NJ:  The Ramapo College women's basketball team defeated Rutgers Newark tonight, 55-52, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference road match-up behind 12 points from Jenna Harsh.  Ramapo improves to 4-3 overall and gets their first win in the NJAC at 1-3.  The Scarlet Raiders fall to 1-7 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
 
Harsh shot 5-7 from the field and 2-2 from the charity stripe to lead the Roadrunners to their first NJAC win of the season.  The team shot a combined 21-56 (38%) on the night as Jina Crawford chipped in 11 points of her own.  Bintou Berete pulled down a team high 12 rebounds and Crawford dished out four assists while Tia Solomon blocked two shots.
 
Rutgers Newark opened the game on a 6-0 run and Ramapo would chip away at the lead, coming within one point, 8-9 with 1:31 to play with a lay up from Crawford.  The two teams would close out the first quarter with the Scarlet Raiders ahead, 11-8.  In the second quarter the two teams would trade baskets until the 3:01 minute mark when a lay up from Harsh sparked a 6-0 Ramapo run to put the Roadrunners ahead 25-18 with a second basket from Harsh.  Maria Simmons would hit a buzzer beater to head into the locker room with Ramapo leading 25-20. 
 
Rutgers Newark would regain the lead at the start of the third quarter with 7:56 on the clock when a basket from Faith Ashby gave the Scarlet Raiders a 26-25 advantage. Kellie Lane responded with a two-point goal sparking a 9-0 run, capped with a free throw from Crawford, to lead 33-26.  Rutgers Newark spent the next three minutes chipping away at Ramapo's lead and would eventually tie the game at 35 with 2:59 to play.  Ramapo closed out the quarter with six straight points to lead 41-35 at the buzzer.  The Roadrunners led the entire fourth quarter until a basket from Louise Ann Borja with 2:21 on the clock tied the game at 52, but in the end it would be Ramapo who proved to be too much for Rutgers Newark taking the game, 55-52.
 
Simmons led the Scarlet Raiders with a double-double that included 22 points and 11 rebounds while Ashby chipped in a double-double of her own with ten points and 11 boards.  The team shot 21-73 (29%) in the loss and Simmons led the way with seven assists.  Ashby collected four steals and Simmons added three.
 
Ramapo returns to action on Saturday, December 10th when they host Kean University at 1pm at the Bradley Center.  On Saturday, Ramapo Athletics is hosting a Holiday Toy Drive at the game.  FREE admission to anyone who brings a new unwrapped toy to bring a smile to a child's face this holiday season.