Union, NJ (1/20/07) – Sophomore Melissa Beyruti (Union City, N.J.) led all players with 17 points as the Kean University women's basketball team defeated New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Montclair State University, 78-55, Saturday afternoon at Harwood Arena.

Chari' Cooper (Paulsboro, N.J.) had 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench for Kean (16-1, 6-0 NJAC), currently ranked #21 by D3hoops.com and #23 by USA Today ESPN Top 25. Sophomore MEGHAN KELLEY ( Newtown, Conn.) led the Red Hawks (8-8, 4-2 NJAC) with 11 points in the loss.

Both teams struggled out of the gate before MSU picked up their first basket of the contest on a jumper by Cynthia Washington (Villas, N.J.) at 18:12. Just over two minutes later the Cougars grabbed the lead on a jumper by Ebony Jackson ( Newark, N.J.) and never trailed again in the contest. Kean then used a 9-0 run later in the half to widen the margin to 16 as Cardiss Jackman ( Tobyhanna, Pa.) netted five straight points followed by back-to-back buckets by Kimberly Smith ( Burlington, N.J.) and Chi Clark ( Maplewood, N.J.).

The run gave the Cougars a 27-11 advantage with under five minutes to play in the half. The Red Hawks rallied and brought the deficit back into single digits in the final minute and 18 seconds of the half. JANELLE BIAMONTE ( Secaucus, N.J.) initiated the rally with a trey followed by two free-throw shots from MARIANNE MCGOVERN ( Fair Lawn, N.J.). Kean headed in the locker room at halftime with a 30-21 lead.

Jackman led the Cougars with nine points off the bench while Clark added six points and five rebounds. Juniors JESSICA GARRABRANT ( Denville, N.J.) and JESSICA HORAN ( West Haverstraw, N.Y.) each had four points for the Red Hawks at the break.

Montclair State returns to action on Wednesday, January 24 as it returns to the Panzer Gymnasium for a 6:00 pm tipoff against NJAC North Division rival Rutgers-Newark.