Mount Saint Mary - 54, Farmingdale State - 45

Newburgh, N.Y. - In their first game of 2016, the Farmingdale State women's basketball team fell, 54-45, at Mount Saint Mary College on Monday evening. With the loss, the Rams dropped to 4-8 overall and 3-2 in Skyline play, while the Knights improved to 5-7, 3-2.

Farmingdale State trailed 8-7 late in the first quarter before Mount Saint Mary closed with five unanswered points to extend the lead to 13-7 after one.

After a Chelsea May (Baldwin, N.Y.) jumper pulled the Rams within eight, 19-11, the Knights used a Megan Kerutis (Merrimack, N.H.) jump shot on their next possession to bring the lead back to 10 with 3:28 left in the first half. Mount Saint Mary took a 25-15 advantage into the break as sophomore forward Jessica Rina (Seaford, N.Y.) led the way with eight points and seven rebounds.

Leading 30-23 with 7:20 remaining in the third, a Mount Saint Mary jump shot and pair of free-throws from freshman center Kayla Cleare (West Hempstead, N.Y.) brought the Knights advantage back to double-digits.

The Rams trailed 42-32 with 8:59 remaining in the game until a Marissa Monaco (Bohemia, N.Y.) 3 cut the deficit to seven points. Mount Saint Mary responded with a 12-2 run to take their largest lead of the game at 54-37 with less than three minutes left on the clock. The Knights would go on to earn the 54-45 conference victory.

In her first game of the season FSC senior guard Camille Romero (Queens, N.Y.) scored 13 points, while Monaco recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Sophomore guard Tyra Harrison (Baldwin, N.Y.) pitched in with 12 points and a game-high seven assists in the loss.

The Knights were led by Rina's 13 points and 13 boards and Cleare who scored 12 points and secured 13 rebounds.

The Rams next will play host to Purchase in a Skyline Conference game on Saturday, January 9th at noon.

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