JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The New Jersey City University women's basketball team went back-and-forth with Montclair State University throughout the first half but fell behind during the second. NJCU ultimately dropped 88-64 to the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) competitor in today's contest on Jan. 15, at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center (JMAC).

The Green and Gold (4-5, 2-7 NJAC) kick-started the game with a huge three-point basket by sophomore captain Damaris Rodriguez (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus). Rodriguez followed up with a jumper just seconds after the Red Hawks (7-7, 5-4 NJAC) put their first points on the board. Junior captain Laney Fox (Parkland, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons) added to the board with a layup and two good free throws. By the end of the quarter, NJCU trailed MSU 20-16 – Rodriguez finished off the quarter with a final floater seconds before the buzzer.

Freshman Olivia Wooten (East Orange, N.J./Immaculate Conception) started the second quarter with a three-point shot, assisted by Fox. Following a jumper by junior Jada Camacho (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson), freshman Liyah Allen (Hillside, N.J./Hillside) tied up the game 31-31 with a free throw. Another huge three-point basket by Rodriguez put Jersey City in the lead 34-33 with three minutes to spare. Down 35-34 the last minute, Rodriguez put in another three-point to take the lead, however, a late Red Hawks' layup put MSU back in the lead at halftime.

Fox put in two three-point baskets to start the third quarter for the Gothic Knights. The Red Hawks responded, as they gained momentum and pulled away to lead 61-52. Even with a layup and final shot by Rodriguez, Jersey City was still down 66-56.

MSU hit multiple three-point shots to start the fourth quarter, pulling even further away from the Gothic Knights. Making her NJCU debut, freshman Renee Thomas (Newark, N.J./Hillside) captured her first points in the last three minutes of the game. Camacho added three final free throw points, leaving Green and Gold down 88-64 by the final buzzer.

Rodriguez ended with a team-high 26 points, followed by Fox with 16 and Camacho with nine – the trio also ended with five, three, and two assists each, respectively. Camacho claimed a personal-high, and team-high, 11 rebounds in tonight's contest.

What's Next: 
Jersey City will travel to Medford, Ma., to play #16 Tufts University on Monday, Jan. 17. The team will stay on the road the following week for NJAC competitions against Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden on Jan. 19 and 22, respectively.