New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

MAHWAH, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Ramapo College broke open a three-point game at halftime by outscoring the New Jersey City University women's basketball team, 33-15 in the final 20 minutes, while limiting the Gothic Knights to 15.2 percent shooting in the second period, as the Roadrunners defeated NJCU, 63-43, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference North Division game on Wednesday night at the Bradley Center.
 
The win was the fifth in six games for Ramapo (9-3, 1-2 NJAC), while NJCU falls to 0-2 in the conference and 3-7 overall. Ramapo, which shot 47.2 percent for the game (25-53) and an impressive 5-for-9 from three-point distance (55.6 percent), leads the all-time series, 32-26.

NJCU led 22-19 with 5:04 left in the first half on a jumper by sophomore forward MARIA SUAREZ (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) before Ramapo scored 12 of the final 18 points of the half and led 31-28 at the intermission after a three-by senior forward Lindsey Gripenburg (Bloomingdale, NJ/Butler).
 
The Roadrunners led 36-32 three minutes into the second half before unleashing a 16-2 run to claim a 52-34, 18-point advantage with 8:59 to play and cruised to a 21-point win.
 
In defeat, the Knights were led by junior forward MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) who supplied 11 points (5-11 FG) in 19 minutes of action. Sophomore forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) added 10 points and four rebounds.
 
Junior forward DELIA CHERNEZ (Union City, NJ/Union City) grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds, along with seven points and three assists. Junior forward KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) came off the bench to haul down nine rebounds—seven offensive. Junior guard GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) achieved career highs in assists (6) and steals (6) and played a full 40 minutes for the second time this season.
 
“It was a tough game. We came out strong and aggressive in the first half, but weren't able to recover from Ramapo's run in the second half,” said first-year head coach Amy Mulligan.
 
The Roadrunners were led by freshman guard Jackie Jerkovich (Secaucus, NJ/Academy of the Holy Angels) with a game-high 12 points (6-7 FG), five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 25 minutes of play. Junior guard Alexa Ryan (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) also added 11 points (3-7 FG, 2-4 3FG) in 22 minutes of play
 
Gripenburg finished with nine points and four assists. Sophomore forward Micaela Moore (Lindenwold, NJ/Lindenwold) contributed seven rebounds and six points. Overall, 10 players scored for Ramapo and 10 had a rebound.
 
In the first half, Ramapo shot 52.4 percent (11-21), but NJCU made more field goals, hitting on 14-of-33 (42.4 percent). That changed in the second period when RCNJ made 14-of-32 (.438) to finish the game at 47.2 percent (25-53) while NJCU faltered to 5-of-33 and finished the night shooting 19-for-66 (28.8 percent). In defeat, NJCU out-rebounded the Roadrunners, 44-39 and held a 20-9 edge on the offensive glass.
 
“We had good contributions from our post players, ALNISA HERNAIZ and MAXINE KAMINSKI,” said Mulligan. “DELIA CHERNEZ and KERRI CASSARELLO did a great job on the boards for us, as well.”
 
Ramapo scored the first seven points of the game before NJCU rallied to tie it at 14-14. After claiming the three-point cushion on the Suarez bucket, Ryan tied it for the hosts with 3:26 left in the opening period. A jumper by junior ANGELICA GLOVER (Union, NJ/Union Catholic) tied it at 24-24 after Ramapo had taken a brief lead. An offensive rebound and putback by Suarez with 1:08 left in the half tied it at 26-26 and Glover sank a mid-range jumper for a 28-28 deadlock before the three by Gripenburg with four seconds left in the half gave Ramapo a lead it would not relinquish.
 
Jerkovich scored six consecutive points at the end of the 16-2 run, including a layup with 8:59 to play. Ramapo's largest lead came with 4:19 left when Gripenburg picked a steal and fed Jerkovich for a fast-break bucket and a 22-point margin (60-38).
 
NJCU will attempt to shake off the outcome when it travels to Camden, NJ on Saturday, January 7 at 1 p.m. to face Rutgers University-Camden in an NJAC matchup.