UNION, NJ – The Rowan University women's basketball team did not trail after the opening three minutes on the way to a 91-65 victory at Kean University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Wednesday.
The Profs improve to 7-5 overall and 4-2 in the conference. The Cougars have a 6-6 record with a 3-3 NJAC mark.
Center April Szymczyk (sr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) recorded a double-double with 25 points and 19 rebounds and added four assists and four blocks. Her scoring, rebound and assist totals were career highs. Guard/forward Alex Raring (sr. Linwood, NJ/Mainland Reg.) totaled 23 points, seven boards and four assists.
Guard Dominique Peters (so. Lawrence, NJ/Lawrence) posted 15 points, four assists and four steals. Guards Samantha Tello (so. Elmwood Park, NJ/St. Mary's) and Summer Crilley (sr. Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) tallied eight and seven points respectively. Crilley also dished five assists and grabbed five rebounds while forward Kailyn Sytsma (so. Northvale, NJ/Northern Valley Old Tappan) had seven boards.
Kean guard Marajiah Bacon (jr. Neptune, NJ/Neptune) scored a game-high 26 points and corralled seven rebounds. Guard Danielle Oakley (jr. Brick, NJ/Brick Mem.) registered 13 points, nine steals, seven assists and five rebounds. Guard Payce Lange (so. Tewksbury, NJ/Voorhees) chipped in with 12 points and guard Miesha Bacon (jr. Neptune, NJ/Neptune) had eight. Forward/guards Cindy Foresta (so. Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) and Casey Filiault (fr. Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) contributed with eight and six boards respectively.
The Cougars were ahead 5-4 after two free throws by Oakley (7:33). Rowan took over with a 14-0 run that ended at 3:38. Raring scored eight points, Szymczyk produced four and guard Juliette Tobin (fr. Deptford, NJ/Deptford Twp.) added a jumper to make the score 18-5. Kean poured in the next six points to cut the deficit to seven (18-11) with 2:06 on the clock.
A pair of Szymczyk foul shots put the Profs up 25-13 at the 8:50 mark of the second. Another 6-0 rally by Kean closed the gap to six (25-19) with 6:19 to play. The teams were even for the rest of the half with Rowan holding a 37-31 advantage at the break. Szymczyk and Marajiah Bacon each had 13 points and Szymczyk grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Profs began the third with eight consecutive points, making the score 45-31 (8:31). Crilley and Szymczyk each had three points and Raring made a jump shot. The Cougars responded with 12 points in a row to trail by two (45-43) with 5:46 remaining. Marajiah Bacon led the charge with six points.
Rowan took control again with a 17-4 stretch to go ahead 62-47 (1:48). Peters totaled nine points. The margin was the same at the end of the period (69-54). Miesha Bacon and Oakley had back-to-back three-pointers in the fourth, making it an 11-point game (71-60) with 8:34 to go. The Profs closed the contest with a 20-5 run and six different players contributed.
Rowan's conference game versus New Jersey City University on Saturday, Jan. 6 was cancelled. Next, the women's basketball team hosts Ramapo College on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m.