Newark, NJ: The Ramapo College women's basketball team surpassed the Scarlet Raiders of Rutgers Newark University tonight as they posted a 61-54 victory on the road behind Jenna Harsh. With the win the Roadrunners improve to 6-15 overall and 3-11 in conference play. Rutgers Newark falls to 7-14 overall, 2-12 in the NJAC.
Harsh finished the night with a team leading 12 points and a team leading 12 rebounds for the double-double. Harsh shot 4-17 from the field and 2-5 from behind the three-point arc as the team combined for 21-64 (33%) in the win. Tia Solomon and Bridgette Buckalew contributed 12 points each on the night as Alie Wickershein and Jina Crawford netted eight points each. Solomon dished out four assists, Buckalew grabbed three steals and Solomon collected two blocks.
The Scarlet Raiders worked to a seven-point (11-4) advantage at the end of the first quarter before an 11-3 Ramapo run, capped with a three from Stacey Porzl to start the second, put the Roadrunners ahead 15-14 with 3:08 to play in the half. Rutgers Newark would go ahead by three, until a long shot from Harsh would knot the game at 18-18 heading into the intermission.
Ramapo started the third quarter on a 6-0 run sparked with a layup from Solomon to go ahead 24-18 with 8:15 on the clock, as the Scarlet Raiders would come within one on two occasions down the stretch to threaten. After the games' fourth tie to start the final quarter (36-36), Ramapo would push to an eight-point lead (54-46) with just 2:47 to go and a layup from Wickersheim. The Roadrunners held their game to close out the NJAC match-up on top, 61-54.
Rutgers Newark was led by a big double-double from Comfort Akinbo with 11 points and 15 rebounds while Nicole Skelly netted 11 points in the loss. The team went 19-62 (31%) on the night. Faith Ashby dished out three assists and Akinbo blocked two balls while Ashby grabbed four steals.
Ramapo returns to action on Saturday, February 3rd when they host TCNJ at the Bradley Center in Mahwah at 1pm.