MADISON, N.J (December 10, 2011) – Montclair St. did not relinquish its lead from the opening minutes and improved to 3-4 on the year after a 62-53 win over Drew (4-4) early this afternoon in Baldwin Gym. Senior Britta Olsen (Hallowell, Maine/Hall-Dale) led the way for the Rangers with 15 points and seven rebounds.

Red Hawk forward, Melissa Tobi recorded a double-double with a game-high, 20 points and 11 rebounds, including a 9-for-11 effort from the free throw line. Danielle Barber (Cape May Court House, N.J./Middle Twp.) and Victoria Ault (Middletown, N.J./Mater Dei) each had 12 points in the loss for the Rangers. Ault matched Olsen on the boards, pulling down seven including five on the offensive end.

After going down six at the sound of the first half horn, the Rangers went back and forth with the Red Hawks over the first seven minutes of the second half.  The Rangers narrowed the Montclair State lead from eight to four at the 13-minute mark thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Barber and junior Whitney Mackay (Suffield, Conn./Berkshire). A pair of free throws by Ault on the ensuing possession whittled the Red Hawk lead to just two points with 10:42 remaining in the game.

The Rangers kept the visiting team in check over the next four minutes of play, never allowing a Montclair St. lead above four. With less than five minutes to play, Mackay and Olsen each knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game for the first time since the opening minutes at 50-50.

The Red Hawk defense clamped down for the next three minutes, not allowing a Ranger point until Barber hit a runner in the lane with 1:34 left in the game.  With the Red Hawks leading 59-52, the visiting team put together another defensive stand, allowing only a free throw for the remainder of the contest to seal their third victory of the year.

Drew went 15-for-19 from the charity stripe while Montclair missed only two shots from the line, finishing 20-for-22.

The Rangers will have next week off, with their next contest occurring in Daytona Beach, Florida on December 19^th. The Rangers will play in the two-day, Daytona Beach Shootout against Buffalo St. on Monday  and Mount Union on Tuesday.