New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
***HIGHLIGHT VIDEO***

JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...New Jersey City University's 40^th season of women's basketball tipped off on Wednesday night as sophomore forward EBONY CUNNINGHAM (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) scored 13 points, with seven rebounds, while rookie point guard LATIFAH JOHNSON (Newark, NJ/University) contributed 11 points, five steals and four assists, but The College of Staten Island never trailed and defeated the Gothic Knights, 75-58, in a non-conference contest on Coach Charlie Brown Court at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

CSI (1-0), which also played its first game of the year, extended its winning streak to four dating to last season's Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Metro championship run. It received a game-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting from junior forward Allie Shanahan (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa), adding four assists and four steals.

 

NJCU still leads the all-time series, 7-5, but the Dolphins have won the last two meetings. It was the first meeting between the clubs since February 5, 2005.

 

Also for NJCU, junior transfer guard MIESHA COOKE (Paterson, NJ/Sports Business Academy) made her debut with nine rebounds and seven points while freshman point guard ASHLEY FREEMAN (Paterson, NJ/Passaic Tech) came off the bench to notch eight points, seven steals and three assists on 4-of-10 shooting. Freshman center KIARA DENSON (Garfield, NJ/Garfield) finished with nine rebounds and six points. Freshman forward LINDIA FISCHER (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) had six points and six boards.

 

Staten Island received a game-best 14 rebounds from freshman center Katelyn Hepworth (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame)—seven offensive and seven defensive—to go along with nine points, four assists and two blocks. Senior guard Danielle McLaughlin (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) chipped in 11 points and three steals, despite seven turnovers. Freshman Caitlin Johnson (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) grabbed 11 rebounds (nine defensive) with six points.

 

Also for CSI, sophomore guard Denise Zajonc (Staten Island, NY/Port Richmond) had nine points and senior guard Mallory Ameneiros (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) collected seven points, six rebounds and five assists before leaving with an injury in the final two minutes.

 

CSI, which had a 60-47 rebounding margin and a 24-13 cushion in second chance points, took a 13-6 lead on a jumper by McLaughlin with 14:16 remaining in the first half. NJCU cut the deficit to three on four occasions, including 21-18 with 4:55 remaining in the period before McLaughlin and sophomore forward Anika Antoine (Brooklyn, NY/Middle School)—who scored eight for CSI—combined for seven straight points as the Dolphins grabbed a 28-18 lead. CSI led 28-20 at the half.

 

NJCU cut the lead to six in the early stages of the second half at 30-24, before CSI uncorked an 8-0 run to seize a 38-24 lead. The Dolphins hit two threes during the spurt, including one by Shanahan, giving the visitors a double-digit lead they wouldn't relinquish.

 

NJCU trailed by 23 with 7:01 left before the young club began applying defensive pressure that forced the Dolphins into 27 turnovers and the Knights were able to close within 14 points late in the game.

 

Staten Island shot .418 for the game (28-67) while the Knights, who shot better in the second half, were 22-of-73 (.301) and 2-of-20 from three-point range (.100).

 

NJCU is back in action on Friday, November 20 at 6 p.m. when it meets Hudson County rival Stevens Institute of Technology in the opening game of the 2009 Stevens Tip-Off Tournament. CSI travels to Amherst, MA to face Western Connecticut State University in the Amherst College Tip-Off on October 21 at 8 p.m.