New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

NORTON, MA (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University senior shooting guard GABRIELLE RIVERA (Teaneck, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) scored a game and career-high 20 points as the Gothic Knights whittled a 12-point deficit to single digits in the final minute before dropping a 54-48 decision to SUNY Oneonta, in the season opening Cheryl Warren-Powers '95 Memorial Tournament, hosted by Wheaton College (Mass.) on November 17 at Emerson Gymnasium.
 
NJCU (0-1), opening its 43^rd season of intercollegiate action, will face Lesley University—70-30 losers to host Wheaton on Saturday—in the tournament's consolation game on Sunday, November 18 at 1 p.m.
 
NJCU scored the first 10 points of the game before Oneonta (1-1) responded and gained a 27-18 lead at halftime in the first meeting between the schools since November 21, 2004. The Red Dragons are 3-0 all-time against NJCU.
 
Rivera scored 12 of her 20 in the second half when NJCU outscored Oneonta, 30-27. She shot 9-of-12 from the floor (2-4 3FG) in 32 minutes of action. Junior forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) grabbed a game-best 13 rebounds (10 defensively)—her 18^th career double-digit rebounding effort and added six points.
 
Senior forward MAXINE KAMINSKI (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) and sophomore guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist), a transfer from Division II Slippery Rock University, each collected nine points and six rebounds.
 
The Dragons were led by junior guard Kristin Pappalardo (Mahopac, NY) with 18 points (7-15 FG), including 4-of-7 three-point shooting while 6-foot-3 sophomore center Sarah Longto (Kingston, NY) amassed an all-around effort of 10 rebounds (seven offensive), nine points (4-8 FG) and five blocked shots. Junior guard Grace Schilling (Northport, NY) chipped in 11 points (4-7 FG) and four assists for the winners.
 
Each side had nearly identical shooting numbers for the game, with Oneonta making 19-of-57 (.333) and NJCU taking one more shot (19-58, .328). The Knights turned around a poor first half (7-31, .226) with a quality effort in the final 20 minutes, shooting 12-of-27 for 44.4 percent. But turnovers plagued NJCU. While the Knights only committed six more miscues than Oneonta (22-16), the Dragons converted those mistakes into points—a 24-9 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
NJCU jumped out to a 10-0 lead with Rivera and Vazquez scoring four points each in the first 5:37 of action before Oneonta got on the board. Oneonta scored nine of the next 11 points to cut the deficit to 12-9 before a Rivera jumper put NJCU in front by five.
 
But from there the Red Dragons—a squad that went 19-9 last season and 14-4 in the SUNYAC conference before losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament—would unleash an 18-4 run in the final 9:21 of the first half to claim a 27-18 cushion at halftime. Tied 16-16 with 3:39 left in the period, Pappalardo knocked down a three and scored seven points as the Dragons chalked up 11 of the final 13 points.
 
Oneonta pushed the lead to as many as 14 points early in the second half on another three by Pappalardo and didn't allow the Knights to get closer than six points (14:05 and 12:01 marks). NJCU had one late push; after an Oneonta three with 1:58 left made it 54-42, Vazquez hit two foul shots with 1:05 to go and Rivera hit a jumper to make it 54-46 with 46 seconds left. The Knights didn't foul, but got a defensive stop and added a late basket with 10 seconds to go. However, NJCU couldn't get closer than the final six-point margin.