Jersey City, NJ (2/4/04) - Sophomore forward EBONY ALLEN (Camden, NJ/Woodrow Wilson) scored a game-high 24 points along with eight rebounds as Montclair State used a late surge in the final three minutes to defeat Hunter College, 84-76, in an NCAA Division III Women's Basketball matchup at Panzer Gymnasium on Monday evening.

Freshman center STEPHANIE MACHIN (New Providence, NJ/New Providence), who was named the NJAC Rookie of the Week for the fourth consecutive time (fifth time overall this year), posted a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds as the Red Hawks (16-3) won their sixth straight. Jen Agosto (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) scored 22 points for Hunter (12-7).

Montclair State held a 39-37 halftime lead and led by as many as eight in the second period before the Hawks cut into the lead and pulled within 71-67 as Jen Chico Ithier (New York, NY/Manhattan Center) scored with 2:58 to play. But Montclair proceeded to go on an 8-2 run in the next minute-plus to pull away. VANESSA DEFREITAS (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) hit the first of two free throws and Machin followed the second miss with a layup and a foul shot for a three-point play and a 75-67 Montclair State advantage with 2:33 left. Tania Blanco (Bronx, NY/St. Catherine) answered with a layup to pull Hunter within six, however, Machin finished off a fast break with a layup and Allen added another to give MSU a 79-69 lead with 1:32 to go. From there, Montclair closed out the game making 5-of-7 from the charity stripe.

DeFreitas had 11 points and seven assists while AMY SNYDER (Cranford, NJ/Union Catholic), the fourth MSU player in double figures, added 10 points with PAM BARONE (Staten Island, NY/St. John Villa) contributing nine points and seven assists.

Jessica Proscia (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame) had double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds while Ithier had 15 points, five rebounds and six assists. Michelle Apostol (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) collected nine points and 10 assists for the Hawks, who shot 47 percent from the field (32-of-68) and were outrebounded, 43-33.

Montclair State shot 46 percent (28-of-60) from the field and received nine points and seven boards from DYETTE DILLARD (Willingboro, NJ/Willingboro). The Red Hawks converted 24-of-37 attempts (65 percent) from the free throw line compared to just 6-of-7 by Hunter.