Montclair, NJ (11/29/04) - Sophomore forward STEPHANIE MACHIN led all players with 18 points as the Montclair State University women's basketball team defeated visiting Rutgers-Camden tonight, 62-44, at Panzer Gymnasium to open its 2004-05 New Jersey Athletic Conference campaign.

MSU improves to 2-1 overall (1-0 NJAC), while Rutgers-Camden falls to 1-3 on the year (0-2 NJAC). Freshman guard JESSICA HORAN contributed 10 points for the host Red Hawks, who also got nine rebounds and six points from freshman JESSICA GARRABRANT and five assists from junior guard AMY SNYDER.

Junior center Megan Rulon paced the visiting Scarlet Raptors with 12 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks, while freshman guard Krystal Jankowski also grabbed 11 caroms and added eight points.

Montclair State raced out to an 11-0 lead and never trailed in achieving a 33-20 halftime advantage. The Red Hawks got 18 points from their bench, scored 16 points off turnovers, and also tallied 14 second-chance points.

Tonight's win was the first at home for Montclair head coach Beth O'Boyle, who took the Red Hawk reins this year after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Rochester the past four seasons.

MSU returns to action on Wednesday at home versus William Paterson University in an NJAC match at 8:00 p.m., while Rutgers-Camden hosts Rowan University that same night at 6:00 p.m. in another conference contest.