Hoboken, NJ – Senior guard KAYLA CEBALLOS scored 20 points as No. 11/13 Montclair State fended off Stevens, 47-41 at the Canavan Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Junior RACHAEL KRAUSS had six points and eight rebounds as the Red Hawks won their fourth straight upping its record to 8-1. MSU won its fifth straight meeting against its in-state rival taking a 6-2 lead in the all-time series.

Montclair led 18-14 following a low-scoring first half in which both teams struggled shooting the basketball. The Red Hawks hit on 8-of-28 attempts from the field while Stevens made just
four of its 28 shots.

In the third quarter the teams traded the lead four times in the first 2:18 of the period with two free throws by Megan Brown giving Stevens a 21-20 advantage. KATE TOBIE hit a layup to put the Red Hawks back in front before Ceballos nailed a three for a 25-21 lead with 6:29 to go. Stevens closed within 27-25 at the midpoint of the period however Tobie connected on a three giving Montclair a 30-25 advantage. Kaitlyn Astel scored on a layup with 26 seconds left as the Ducks drew within one, but Ceballos drove the lane for basket with three seconds left as MSU led 34-31 heading into the fourth.

SAGE BENNETT opened the final stanza with a layup for a seven-point MSU lead however Stevens later pulled within 34-33 on Anna Toke's layup with 5:49 remaining. Ceballos came up big hitting from three with 4:21 left and a free throw by Bennett put MSU up 38-33 with 3:41 on the clock.

An Astel layup with three minutes to go cut the lead to 38-35 but both teams came up empty for the next two minutes. Bennett hit a free throw with 53 seconds. Following a Ducks' miss, Krauss got the rebounds and then got a bigger one on the offensive end with 11 seconds left before being fouled. She made both for a 41-35 lead.

Tobie finished with nine points, three assists and five steals for Montclair State which got nine rebounds from sophomore KATIE SIRE.

The Red Hawks are now off until Monday, December 28 when it faces Lebanon Valley in the Puerto Rico Clasico in San Juan. Game time is set for 2:00 pm. Montclair will also take on University of Rochester on Tuesday, December 29.