JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The New Jersey City University (NJCU) women's basketball team came up just short in a tightly contested New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) matchup on Wednesday, Dec. 10, falling 58-53 to Stockton University at the John J. Moore Athletics and Fitness Center.

Stockton (5-3, 2-2 NJAC) shot 32.4% (22-68) from the field, 26.7% (4-15) from three-point range, and 58.8% (10-17) at the line. NJCU posted similar numbers, finishing at 32.7% (18-55) overall, 41.7% (10-24) from beyond the arc, and 70% (7-10) on free throws. The Ospreys controlled several key statistical areas, including points off turnovers (16-10), second-chance points (11-7), bench scoring (17-11), points in the paint (32-12), and fast-break points (7-2).

Sophomore Meghan Gentile (Roseland, N.J./Immaculate Conception) led the Gothic Knights with 17 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Junior Na'tori Postell (Passaic, N.J./Passaic Arts & Science Charter) matched her with 17 points of her own, adding four rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Junior Bailey Cassell (Palmdale, Calif./Pete Knight) paced NJCU on the glass with seven rebounds to go along with three assists and three points. Off the bench, junior Kaylah Neal (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) provided a spark with nine points, six rebounds, and an assist. Junior Autumn John (Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway) contributed three assists, two blocks, four rebounds, and two points.

Stockton saw three players finish in double figures. Zemirah Enalls turned in a standout performance with a double-double—14 points, 15 rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and an assist. Lauren Winant added 11 points, two assists, two rebounds, and a steal, while Imene Fathi chipped in 10 points, four assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Grace Speer was a force on the boards with 12 rebounds, seven points, and a steal.

The game opened as a back-and-forth battle until Neal's two free throws and a jumper in the lane pushed NJCU ahead 12-7 at the end of the first quarter. Gentile led the early charge with eight points.

Midway through the second quarter, the Ospreys used a 7-0 run to take their first lead since the opening minutes, going up 16-15 with 5:09 remaining. NJCU responded with three made free throws from Cassell and another from freshman Isabel Gidado (Fords, N.J./Colonia), sending the teams into halftime tied at 19. Gentile and Cassell accounted six of seven NJCU points in the frame.

Early in the third quarter, John knocked down a jumper that ignited an 8-0 Gothic Knight run, capped by back-to-back three-pointers from Gentile and Postell that stretched the lead to a game-high 37-30. Stockton closed the quarter strong, cutting the margin to 40-37 with a layup at the buzzer.

Both teams traded baskets to open the fourth, but Stockton converted a pair of layups to retake the lead, 49-48, with 4:20 to play. Neal tied the contest at 53 with a layup at the 1:42 mark, but the Ospreys answered with a momentum-shifting three-pointer with 34 seconds remaining. Two late free throws sealed the result as Stockton escaped Jersey City with the 58-53 win.

UP NEXT:
NJCU returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 13, traveling to Union, N.J., for a 3:00 p.m. NJAC matchup against Kean University.