New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University shot 19.2 percent in the first half to fall behind 33-17 at halftime and couldn't catch up as Manhattanville College snapped NJCU's three-game winning streak with a 60-40 non-conference women's basketball victory on Thursday night at Kennedy Gym.
 
NJCU (3-6), made 5-of-26 from the field in the first half and finished making 23.0 percent overall (14-61). The Valiants (4-7) shot better than 40 percent in each half and converted 23-of-53 overall or 43.4 percent while dominating in the paint, to the tune of a 32-14 scoring advantage. M-Ville leads the all-time series, 3-0.
 
Both schools were plagued by turnovers in the final game of the 2011 portion of the Gothic Knight schedule, combining for 64 turnovers in the game (33-31, M-Ville), including 17 apiece in the first 20 minutes. Despite having more giveaways, M-Ville recorded a 29-12 edge in points off turnovers.
 
In defeat, the Knights were led by junior forward KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) who grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds with two assists and two steals in 27 minutes. It was one shy of her best rebounding performance and Cassarello reached double digits in boards for the second time this year.
 
Freshman point guard LUISA MONTALVO (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) was NJCU's top scorer with eight points, but struggled from the field (2-17 FG) and committed eight turnovers. Junior forward DELIA CHERNEZ (Union City, NJ/Union City) had seven points (2-4 FG) and six rebounds.
 
The Valiants were led by junior guard Taylor Wilson (Pearl River, NY) with 17 points (6-10 FG, 5-5 FT) and four steals in 23 minutes. Freshman center Alyson Caiazzo (Brooklyn, NY) had a team-high 10 rebounds—eight on the defensive side. Senior guard Courtney Turner (Staten Island, NY) had nine points (4-8 FG) and three assists while senior forward Kelli Hyjek (Tolland, CT) finished with eight points (4-7 FG) and three steals.
 
M-Ville, which led by as many as 26 on the night, never trailed after jumping out to leads of 7-0 and 17-6. NJCU was able to cut it to a five-point game midway through the first period, before Manhattanville went on a 22-5 run between the latter stages of the first half and the early second half, gaining a 39-17 margin that the Knights were unable to overcome. The Valiants scored nine of the first 11 points out of the intermission.
 
Trailing 54-30 in the second half, NJCU did score eight straight points to pull with 16, before the hosts prevailed by 20.
 
NJCU will attempt to shake off the outcome when it returns to the court in 13 days after the New Year on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest against Ramapo College at 5:30 p.m. in Mahwah, NJ.