Glassboro, NJ (1/17/04) - The Montclair State women's basketball team dropped its second consecutive conference game this afternoon, falling by a 69-60 score at Rowan University.

The loss leaves the Red Hawks at 10-3 overall and 2-2 in NJAC play, while the host Profs improve to 13-2 on the season and 5-0 in the conference.

Freshman center STEPHANIE MACHIN (New Providence, NJ/New Providence) led MSU with 17 points and 12 rebounds and senior guard VANESSA DEFREITAS (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) added 12 points for the Red Hawks, who lost consecutive games for the first time all season. Rowan led by just three points at the half, but used 12-0 and 6-0 runs to pull away during the last 26 minutes.

Rowan started the second half with seven straight points to lead by 10 (39-29) with 16:46 left. Sheemea Carr (Clayton, NJ/Glassboro) scored two straight baskets and Jaime McCormack (Trenton, NJ/Hamilton West) had a three-point play. The Profs' biggest lead of the game with 12 points (60-48) after two straight free throws by Stephanie Finke (Wood Ridge, NJ/Paramus Catholic) at 5:15. MSU came back to pull within six points (66-60) afer DeFeitas made one of two free throws.

In the first half, Rowan led until 11:28 to play when DeFreitas made a layup to put MSU up 15-14. The Red Hawks then had a 12-4 run to lead by nine, 27-18, with 6:34 left before halftime. The Profs andwered with nine straight points to tie the score at 27 with 3:12 left. Carr's first foul shot tied the score and her second put Rowan up 28-27. With 50 seconds left on the cloc, McCormack, who finished with 22 points, had a layup which gave the Profs a three-point lead at the half, 32-29.