WAYNE, N.J. – Tied at 65-65 with 82 seconds remaining, the William Paterson women's basketball team (1-0) scored the final five points of the game for a 70-65 season-opening victory against visiting Farmingdale State (0-1) Nov. 15.
WP led by as many as 20 during the first half, but it was just a six-point Pioneer advantage (53-47) when the teams opened the fourth quarter. A Nikole Williams (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream Central) jumper made it a 63-55 game with 4:44 to play, but seven straight points from FSC junior forward Essence Casey pulled the Rams to within one at 63-62 with 3:24 remaining.
Senior forward Janea Clark (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) answered with a layup 12 seconds later (65-62) and Farmingdale State's AJ Smith made the first of two free throws (65-63, 2:59), but neither team could find the measure for the next 97 seconds until junior guard Kaelyn Ward hit an eight-foot baseline jumper to knot the score at 65-65 with 1:22 on the clock. Clark was fouled during the Pioneers' next possession, making one of two from the stripe to push WP back ahead, 66-65 with 1:04 to play. A William Paterson miss was rebounded by the Rams, but freshman guard Gabby Harris (South River, N.J./South River) stripped the ball under the basket and put it back up for a quick layup, adding the free throw after the foul for a three-point play and a two-possession game at 69-65 with 35 seconds left. Williams rebounded a FSC miss and was fouled, going 1-for-2 from the line for the game's final point with 20 seconds on the cllock.
Junior guard Jackie Rodriguez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) poured in a game-high 21 points, while Clark had her first career double-double with 16 tallies and a team-best 10 rebounds. Williams finished with 12 points and six boards, and Harris added 10 tallies and eight caroms.
The Rams scored seven of the game's first nine points, but the Pioneers seized control with a 16-0 run over a 3:03 span, turning a 9-6 deficit into a 22-9 advantage with 3:21 remaining in the first period. Harris posted five points and Clark had four during the spurt, allowing WP to carry a 22-11 lead into the second quarter.
The Pioneers' advantage grew to as many as 20 (33-13, 4:20) before Farmingdale State ended the opening half with a 12-3 burst, making it a 36-25 margin at the break. Clark led all players with 13 first-half tallies, chipping in seven rebounds, while Harris collected seven points and five boards.
Casey paced the Rams with 17 points, and Smith contributed 12 tallies and 13 rebounds. Junior guard Tyra Harrison chipped in 15 points, six assists and five steals.
William Paterson will compete at the DeSales Morgan Stanley Tip-Off Tournament, taking on Saint Vincent Saturday, Nov. 19, at 4:00 p.m.
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