Box Score GALLOWAY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University women's basketball team took their program-record hot start to new heights on February 13 as the Gothic Knights improved to 4-0 to start a season for the first time in 46 years, knocking off Stockton University, 59-47, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action at the Stockton Sports Center.
 
NJCU (4-0, 4-0 NJAC) swept a season series from Stockton (0-4, 0-4 NJAC) for only the third time in its history and the first time since doing it in consecutive years in 1992-93 and 1993-94, and the Knights are 4-0 to start a season for the first time since opening the 1974-75 campaign with a 5-0 record — the only other year NJCU has opened undefeated after four games.
 
Leading the charge for NJCU was freshman point guard Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus) and sophomore guard Zianna Goda (Roselle, NJ/Newark Tech) with 14 points apiece. Senior wing Dayjah Anderson (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech) added additional firepower, closely trailing her teammates with 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Senior power forward Ayanna Lewis (Willingboro, NJ/Burlington County institute of Technology) grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, adding eight points and three steals; she keyed NJCU to a 12-2 advantage in second chance points.
 
The Knights came roaring out of the gate with a 9-1 run in the first 5:02 of play, five of which came from Goda to begin her brilliant offensive effort. NJCU shot 47 percent from the field and out-muscled the Ospreys down low for six points in the paint, ending the opening frame with a 19-9 lead.
 

Points were at a premium in the second quarter, as the Knights struggled from the field to the tune of 24 percent shooting. On the other end, NJCU absolutely stifled Stockton's offense, holding the home squad to a dismal 1-for-11 effort. The Ospreys scraped together seven points from the charity stripe but were not able to keep pace as the Knights opened up their largest lead of the day at 13. NJCU would bring a comfortable 30-19 advantage into the locker room at the break.
 
The third quarter belonged to the Ospreys who outscored NJCU in the period, 20-2. NJCU did not score a field goal in the quarter and were outscored, 16-0 in the final 7:10 of action, yet only trailed 39-32 heading to the fourth.
 
But NJCU countered in the final 10 minutes, blitzing the Ospreys by a 27-8 margin in the quarter. The Knight scored the first seven points to tie it (39-39) — five by Anderson — and after Stockton regained a 43-39 lead, the Knights responded with eight consecutive points to reclaim the lead for good, 47-43. A three-point play by Rodriguez with 5:15 left put NJCU in front to stay, never looking back as the Knights capped off a 13-3 run between 6:44 and 1:40 left in the contest. Stockton couldn't get closer than 47-45 the rest of the way and with NJCU ahead by five with 1:12 to go, sealed it from the line to push the final margin to double figures.
 
Stockton's Emily Donzanti led all scorers with 19, mostly from the line (10-11) and Maddie McCracken added 12 points. Ionyonia Alves had eight rebounds and seven points.
 
NOTABLES:

• Series: 68th meeting, Stockton leads 52-17. NJCU has won three of the last four matchups.
• Dayjah Anderson (East Orange, NJ/Newark Tech) scored in double figures for the 20th time in 28 games at NJCU. 

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU will next host William Paterson University on Friday Feb. 19 at 3:00 p.m. at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center. As with all games this season, fans will not be permitted to attend, but all action will be streamed live on GothicVision.

 
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