Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College women's basketball team defeated the Red Hawks of Montclair State University this evening, behind 17 points from Alexa Ryan, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match-up at the Bradley Center.

Ryan shot 4-10 from the field and 7-11 from the charity stripe as the team combined for 21 field goals on 49 attempts shooting 43% in the win. Lindsey Gripenburg contributed 13 points and Micaele Moore added 12 while Faith Flannery and Danielle Beam each netted eight points of their own. Ryan and Samantha Maggio dished out four assists each and Beam and Moore each pulled down a team high eight boards. Gripenburg grabbed three steals and the Roadrunners forced 19 Red Hawk turnovers on the night. Kisandra Ayanbeku led the Red Hawks with 16 points shooting 6-13 and Jamie Ericson added 13 points on the night as the team went 17-58 hitting 29% from the field. Theresa Towns grabbed four steals and Colleen Kelly grabbed a team high eight boards.

The Roadrunners opened to a 6-0 lead after Flannery hit a jump shot to open the game and Tiffany Osorio and Ryan hit back-to-back baskets to start the game. Montclair finally got on the board at 15:11 when Kelly hit a two-point basket of her own to come within four, 6-2. Ramapo responded with another run, 5-0, sparked by a three-pointer from Gripenburg, before Ericson hit a shot from behind the arc to cut Ramapo's lead to six, 11-5. On two occasions the Roadrunners would let the Red Hawks come within two points, first with 11:56 on the clock when Ayanbeku sunk a jumper to put Montclair with nine points on the board, and again at 6:32 when a three-pointer from Ericson closed the gap, 21-19. Ramapo spent final six minutes of the half working their way to a 13-point advantage taking a 34-21 lead at 1:34 with a two-point goal from Moore, and again at the intermission, when Moore again sunk a jump shot to take a 36-23 halftime lead. Ryan led the way with nine points in the half and Flannery and Moore added eight, while Ayanbeku posted a team high 11 points for Montclair.

Michelle Montagna opened the half for the Red Hawks with a three-point basket which sparked a mini 4-0 run to come within six points, 36-30pf the Roadrunners, but Ramapo's Brittany Howes sparked a 5-0 run to put Ramapo up by 11 with 14:40 to go in the game. The Red Hawks strung together six points at come within three points, 42-39 with 11:47 on the clock, but that would be the closest they would come as Ramapo climbed to a 13-point lead with under a minute to play when Gripenburg put away two free throws. Ramapo would hold on in the finals seconds taking the game, 69-60. Ryan added eight points in the final 20 minutes of play and Gripenburg sunk ten as the team hit 36% of their shots hitting 8-22 from the field. Montclair's Sara Kelly led the team with nine points and the Red Hawks combined for eight field goals on 28 attempts shooting 28%.

Ramapo returns to action on February 9th when they take on Rutgers Newark at 5:30pm at the Bradley Center.