MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Rowan University women's basketball team defeated #21/23 Montclair State University, 68-64 on Wednesday night in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) action. It was the Profs first win over the Red Hawks since a 73-71 victory on January 15, 2011 in Glassboro.
In the fourth quarter, Rowan trailed 61-56 (5:18) then ended the game on a 12-3 run that included eight made free throws to come away with the win. The Profs had not won at Montclair State since February 22, 2005 (69-59) in the NJAC Championship Tournament. The previous regular season triumph in Montclair came on December 2, 2000 (85-83). Rowan has an overall record of 12-1 and they are 6-0 in the conference. The Red Hawks are 9-4 overall and 5-1 in the NJAC.
Forward Kate Matthews (gr. Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) collected her fourth straight double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds. Guard Valerie Garofalo (jr. Ventnor, NJ/Holy Spirit) tallied 16 points. Guard/forward Kaitlin Schullstrom (gr. Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) chipped in with 13 points. Guard Summer Crilley (so. Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) had nine points and guard/forward Melissa Lake (gr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) added seven.
For Montclair State, guard/forward Katie Sire (so. Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Forward Sage Bennett (jr. Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Twp.) contributed with 18 points and seven boards. Guards Rachael Krauss (jr. Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) and Kiarra Dillard (fr. Peekskill, NY/Peekskill) each accumulated five points.
Montclair State held a 13-7 advantage with 5:07 to play in the first quarter. Rowan tallied the next seven points on a layup by Lake (4:55), two baskets by Garofalo (4:09 and 3:57) and a free throw by Schullstrom (2:05) to take a 14-13 lead. The teams exchanged baskets and then Sire made a layup (0:07) to put the Red Hawks back out in front 17-16 at the end of the first.
Montclair State opened the second stanza on a 16-6 run to extend its lead to 11 (33-22) with 3:10 remaining. Bennett recorded seven points and Sire had four. The Profs responded with an 8-0 spurt, cutting the deficit to three (33-30) at the 40-second mark. Sire (0:18) and Schullstrom (00:01) each converted a layup to make the halftime score 35-32.
Guard Zoe Curtis (jr. Little Silver, NJ/Red Bank Reg.) scored the first points of the third (7:16) for a 37-32 Red Hawk lead. Rowan then went on an 11-0 run that included six points by Matthews, three by Lake and two by Schullstrom to go ahead 43-37. Montclair State used a 10-2 spurt to retake the lead, 47-45 at the 1:12 mark. Crilley tied the game with a layup (1:03) and Sire hit a basket (0:44), sending the game into the fourth with a 49-47 score.
The Red Hawks maintained a cushion and led 53-51 after a layup by Matthews (8:54). Krauss and Sire converted consecutive baskets, extending the lead to 57-51 (7:54). Rowan recorded the next five points to get to within one (57-56) with 6:24 on the clock.
Next, Rowan hosts Kean University on Saturday, Jan. 9 at 3 p.m.