New Jersey City University Athletics

MAHWAH, NJ…Junior forward ALAIA ROBINSON (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) hauled down a game-high 18 rebounds and freshman guard ANGELA FITZGERALD (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) tallied a game-best 15 points as New Jersey City University held an opponent below 40 points for the first time this season, routing Ramapo College, 61-39, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game on Wednesday night at the Bill Bradley Center.

 

With the win, NJCU improves to 3-8 overall and evens its NJAC record at 1-1, while snapping a two-game losing streak. Ramapo (3-9, 0-2 NJAC) dropped its eighth consecutive game. NJCU is 3-0 all-time at the Bradley Center, and the Knights have now won four consecutive games against the Roadrunners. NJCU led by as many as 30 points in the game.

 

NJCU held an opponent below 40 for the first time since a 77-21 rout of CCNY on December 21, 2006. The win marked the first time NJCU held an NJAC club below 40 since a 41-27 victory against Rutgers-Newark on January 26, 2000 and the first time it has happened on the road since a 59-38 win at Ramapo on January 22, 1997.

 

Robinson, who entered the game ranked fifth in the country in rebounding, collected at least 18 boards in a game for the third time this season and notched her third double-double, finishing with 18 caroms (10 defensive), 11 points (5-10 FG) and two steals in 30 minutes. She had 10 rebounds in the second half. Fitzgerald led NJCU in scoring for the eighth time in 11 games to open her career, with 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting, and four steals in 19 minutes.

 

Senior forward VANESSA VARGAS ESPINOZA (Union City, NJ/Emerson-Union City), who starred at Ramapo from 2002-05, played in her second game since transferring to NJCU, while meeting her old school for the first time. She again scored in double figures, finishing with 12 points (4-10 FG), four steals and three assists in 35 minutes.

 

Also, sophomore guard TANIA GREENLEAF (Bordentown, NJ/Columbia) came off the bench to provide 11 points (5-10 FG), four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sophomore guard MICHELLE VASQUEZ (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) sparked NJCU defensively with three steals in 19 minutes, adding a career-best six points (3-5 FG).

 

Junior guard Laurel Moschel (Fair Lawn, NJ/St. Mary’s) was the lone RCNJ player in double figures, finishing with 12 points (3-5 FG).

 

NJCU shot 47.4 percent overall (27-57), including a 53.1 percent (17-of-32) clip in the first half while building a 38-24 halftime cushion.

 

The Knights gained the lead at 6-4 just 3:35 into the game and never were threatened again. A 16-2 run allowed NJCU to build an 18-6 margin with 10:07 left in the period on a Greenleaf jumper and back-to-back triples by Espinoza and Greenleaf extended the advantage to 30-13 with 4:52 remaining in the session, before Fitzgerald gave NJCU its largest first half lead—a 21-point, 38-17 edge, on a jumper with 1:31 left, to cap a 14-4 spurt.

 

NJCU led by at least 20 for most of the second half, increasing the lead to as many as 30, 58-28, on a Robinson foul shot with 7:48 left on the clock, before matching its largest margin of victory this season, a 22-point decision.

 

RCNJ shot .304 overall (14-46), including just 18.2 percent (4-22) in the second half. NJCU transformed 26 Roadrunner giveaways into a 24-10 margin in points off turnovers.

 

NJCU will face its second nationally ranked team of the week on Saturday, January 12 at 1 p.m. when it meets #11 ranked Kean University (11-1) in an NJAC inter-divisional game in Union, NJ.