Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College women's basketball team defeated New Jersey City University today in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up, 74-65. The Roadrunners finish the season at 11-14 overall, 6-12 in the NJAC while the Gothic Knights finish at 5-20 overall, 2-16 in the conference.
The Roadrunners honored their two seniors prior to the game:
Jenna McDonnell and
Tia Solomon.
Ramapo hit 23-52 (44.2%) from the field and 22-31 (71%) from the line led by
Jenna Harsh with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Cherie Smedile netted 14 points and collected nine rebounds and
Samantha Rinaldi had 13 points. NJCU shot 24-70 (34.3%) from the field and 11-14 (78.6%) from the line with all five starters scoring in double-figures. Zyearah TaylorGaston led the Gothic Knights with 15 points, Jesenia Montalvo netted 13, while Christine Bizub and Marajiah Bacon had 12, and Miesha Bacon tallied 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The two teams played an offensively even first half until the Roadrunners went on a 9-0 run capped off by a three pointer from Smedile, 21-10. NJCU answered back with back-to-back three-pointers from Montalvo and Bizub to close the gap to five. The teams traded baskets before Harsh sank a three-point shot with 3:33 on the clock to put the Roadrunners up, 27-19. TaylorGaston and Mi. Bacon made back-to-back jumpers to bring the Gothic Knights within four, but with 1:06 on the clock Rinaldi would make a layup to stretch the Roadrunners lead to six to head into the locker room, 29-23.
TaylorGatson came out of the locker room strong to start the second half for the Gothic Knights, scoring seven points in 2:16 of play putting NJCU on top by one, 32-31. The Roadrunners answered back going on a 19-3 run capped off by a layup from Harsh, extending their lead to 15, 50-35. NJCU would come within five of the Roadrunners off a 12-2 run, sparked by a jump shot from Ma. Bacon with 28 seconds left in the third quarter and capped off by a layup from Mi. Bacon, 47-52. Ramapo extended their lead back to 13 after Smedile sparked another run for the Roadrunners sinking a three pointer, 62-49. With 0:58 left to go in the game, Ma. Bacon netted a three-point shot putting NJCU within eight before Smedile answered back with a three-pointer of her own, 69-58. Montalvo would add on a last second three-point shot but it would not be enough for NJCU as Ramapo won their final game of the season, 65-74.
