Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College women's basketball team fell short to the Pioneers of William Paterson University, 60-55 tonight in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up at the Bradley Center, as junior forward April Smith put away 18 points leading the Pioneers. With the loss, the Roadrunners fall to 15-9 overall, 5-7 in the NJAC.
April Smith recorded a double-double with a team high 18 points and 17 rebounds as she led the Pioneers (21-3, 10-2) to their 21st win of the season. BriAnna Lucas chipped in 16 points shooting 7-21 from the field, as the team hit a combined 19-73 (26%) on the night. Lucas dished out four assists and Kristine Jackiewicz grabbed four steals in the win. Alexa Ryan led the Roadrunners with a double-double of her own which included 20 points and ten boards while Faith Flannery sank 11 points shooting 4-10 from the field. Ramapo combined for 18 field goals on 55 attempts hitting 33% of their shots. Samantha Maggio assisted on five baskets and Brittany Howes pulled down a team high 12 rebounds.
The Pioneers sank two three-point baskets, one each from Smith and Lucas, before the Roadrunners got on the board with a two-point goal (2-6) from Micaela Moore to start the first half of the NJAC match-up. Just under eight minutes into the half, the Pioneers had worked their way to a 17-9 lead with eight points coming from Smith. With a 13-2 lead over the next five minutes of play, which was sparked by Floriana Borova and capped off by Lucas, the Pioneers took their biggest lead of the game, 30-11 (19) with 7:25 to play. Ramapo responded with a 13-2 run of their own, sparked by two free throws from Ryan to come within eight points, 24-32, but William Paterson outscored the Roadrunners, 6-3 in the remaining 2:44 of the half to head into the locker room with a 38-27 lead. Smith and Lucas led the Pioneers with 12 and ten points respectively as the team shot 12-35 (34%) combined in the in the first 20 minutes of play. Ryan led Ramapo with seven first half points while the team put away the 27 hitting 9-28 (32%) from the field.
The Roadrunners held the Pioneers to just three points in the opening five plus minutes of the second half while they put away nine of their own to come within five points, 41-36 after the front end of a two-shot foul fell from Flannery at 14:50. Tatiana Javis and Smith would hit back-to-back baskets to put the Pioneers up by nine, 45-36, with 11:57 to play, before the Roadrunners would make their final push, coming as close as one point, 55-56 with two good free throws from Flannery with just 00:16 to play. Ramapo was unable to break through the gap falling just short, 55-60. Ryan netted 13 of her 20 points in the final half hitting 5-11 from the field. Ramapo went 9-27 (33%) as a team while the Pioneers hit 7-38 (18%). Lucas and Smith each recorded six points in the half.
The two teams will face off again on Wednesday, February 16th at 6pm in Wayne, NJ.