New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES: Inside-the-Athlete feature, JIANA CLARK

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham shot 20-of-24 from the free throw line in the first half and posted 56 points in the opening 20 minutes before cruising to its seventh consecutive victory, 94-63, over host New Jersey City University in a non-conference women's basketball game on December 10 at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center ('Coach Charlie Brown Court.').

FDU (8-1) had three players score in double figures in the first half alone to claim a 26-point margin at the intermission and committed just five turnovers in the opening period. NJCU fell to 3-6. The Devils finished with five players in double figures.
 
NJCU's 63 points were the most scored against the Devils in a victory this season and the Gothic Knights shot over 50 percent in each period from both the field and three-point range. In defeat, NJCU shot 51.1 percent overall (24-57) and made 8-of-16 from three-point distance.
 
FDU turned 15 first half Gothic Knight giveaways into a 22-4 margin in points off turnovers. The visitors knocked down 13 three-pointers on the night (13-30, .433) and shot a dazzling 29-of-37 (.784) from the charity stripe.
 
Sophomore guard ASHLEY VAZQUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) scored exactly half of NJCU's points in the opening 20 minutes, notching 15 in the period and 17 for the game, shooting 5-of-11 overall, 3-of-6 from three-point range and 4-for-4 from the line. It was her seventh effort of double figures in scoring since joining the program this fall, and she added five assists in 38 minutes.
 
Junior forward ALNISA HERNAIZ (Irvington, NJ/Irvington) scored all 12 of her points in the second half, shooting 6-of-9 overall with seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Sophomore guard JADE MEDLEY (Queens, NY/Hudson Catholic) came off the bench to contribute 10 points (3-6 FG, 2-3 3FG) in 23 minutes. Senior guard/forward KERRI CASSARELLO (Keansburg, NJ/Keansburg) added eight points on 3-of-3 shooting (one three) in 23 minutes.
 
FDU was led by leading scorer Leigh-Ann Lively (Bangor, PA/Notre Dame), who scored a game-best 22 points in 34 minutes, shooting 5-of-12 from the floor (4-10 3FG) and 8-for-11 from the line. She entered the game averaging 18.1 points.
 
Junior guard Jalessa Lewis (Irvington, NJ/Mt. St. Dominic) delivered 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting and 5-of-8 from three-point distance, while dishing seven assists versus only two turnovers, and collecting five boards and four steals in 33 minutes.
 
Sophomore guard Kara Dayon (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) provided 15 points (4-10 FG, 3-5 3FG), eight rebounds and four steals in 25 minutes while sister and sophomore forward Krya Dayon (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central) added 12 points, five assists versus one turnover, and five steals, but struggled from the field (4-16 FG).
 
Freshman center Rachel Groom (Edison, NJ/Edison) scored 10 points (3-5 FG, 4-4 FT) with five rebounds and sophomore forward Delisha Thompson (East Orange, NJ/East Orange Campus) chipped in nine points (3-7 FG). Freshman forward/center DeAnna D'Amico (Totowa, NJ/Passaic Valley) finished with seven points and six caroms.
 
“I think we came out a little bit slow and allowed them to get off to a good pace, and it basically set us back,” summarized second-year head coach Amy Mulligan. “You can't help when a team shoots 43 percent from three-point range and our fouls were a little over the top. Overall, we had to watch our turnovers and their pressure, but for us, offensively, we had a great game. It's just that FDU had a better game than us.”
 
FDU used an up-tempo offense and full court pressure defense to jump out to leads of 10-2, 19-5, and 30-7 and its 17^th  free throw of the game gave the Devils a 44-17 cushion. FDU led by as many as 31 in the first half, hitting eight triples along the way, and twice saw the differential reach 31 in the second half, including the final result of the night.
 
Mulligan, however, was encouraged by aspects of NJCU's performance.
 
“We had some big plays from KERRI CASSARELLO again with eight points and she was great with her passes and her defense. ASHLEY VAZQUEZ again shows up and scores 17 for us and JADE MEDLEY came up big. She had 10 points and a lot of good stops defensively as well.”
 
NJCU is back on the court on Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 6 p.m. when it visits unbeaten Montclair State University (7-0, 5-0 NJAC) in Montclair, NJ in New Jersey Athletic Conference action. FDU is idle until December 29.