Mahwah, NJ:  The William Paterson University Pioneers outlasted the Ramapo College women's basketball team, 59-53 tonight in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up at the Bradley Center.  The Pioneers jump ahead to 10-7 overall and 5-5 in the NJAC.

Despite leading by five at the half (27-22), the Ramapo College Roadrunners were out scored 24-17 and 13-9 in the third and fourth quarters respectively dropping a six point, 59-53 conference match-up at home.  Ramapo falls to 7-10 overall and 2-8 in conference play.

William Paterson caused 21 turnovers as Nikole Williams led the Pioneers with 15 points including 11-14 from the charity stripe, while Julie Rovito chipped in nine points in the win.  The team hit a combined 16-52 (31%) from the field as Ashley Castillo and Rovito each dished out three assists.  Rovito pulled down a team high ten rebounds. 
 
The Pioneers opened to a 12-8 lead after the first quarter after Rovito collected five points and Williams four.  With the game tied at two, the Pioneers would string together four points to go up, 6-2, before jumping ahead 12-6 at 0:50 with a free throw from Rovito.  Bintou Berete hit two shots from the charity stripe to close out the quarter.  In the second, Shelby Ringer drained a three to start the scoring for Ramapo before Jina Crawford capitalized on an and-one play with 5:47 on the clock to tie the game at 17.  The Roadrunners would take the lead 20-19 with a jumper from Tia Solomon with 4:31 to go and Ramapo would head into the locker room with a 27-22 lead over the Pioneers.  Crawford and Solomon led with six points each and Ringer chipped in five as the team went 8-19 (42%) in the half.  The Pioneers were led by Rovito with eight points.  The team hit 5-23 (22%).
 
Two free throws from Williams and a three from Castillo to start the third quarter quickly knotted the game at 27 and the two teams traded baskets over the next five plus minutes ending with WPU on top, 42-40 with 3:15 to go.  Alternating baskets in the finals minutes, the third would end with WPU ahead, 46-44.  With 6:45 to go in the quarter, Gabby Harris would sink two points to put WPU up 53-46, but a 6-1 run, sparked by Crawford and capped by Crawford, would put Ramapo within two points, 52-54 with just over three minutes to go.  It would be the Pioneers down the stretch holding onto the 59-53 win.  Williams collected 11 points in the final two quarters as Harris chipped in eight.  Crawford collected nine points to lead Ramapo in the end.
 
Crawford finished the night with a team leading 15 points and Solomon collected 12 as the team went 18-42 (43%) in the loss.  Solomon grabbed seven rebounds, and Crawford and Jillian Artrip each dished out two assists. 
 
The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday, January 21st when they travel to Stockton University for a 3pm NJAC match-up on the road.