Portland, OR – Senior guard JANITZA AQUINO scored 22 points while senior forward MELISSA TOBIE added 15 along with six rebounds as No. 10/11 Montclair State opened its season with a 73-49 victory over Willamette in the Bon Apetit NWC Classic at Lewis and Clark College on Saturday.

Junior guard KAYLA CEBALLOS and classmate JASMINE BRANDON each added eight points as the Red Hawks jumped out to a 15-point halftime lead en route to its fourth consecutive season-opening win. Montclair (1-0) will face host Lewis and Clark on Sunday, November 16 at 5:00 pm EDT.

MSU jumped out to a 5-0 lead early as Aquino hit a jumper 12 seconds into the game with KATIE SIRE and SAGE BENNETT hitting three from the free line for the five-point advantage with 17:26 left in the opening period. A layup by Tobie made the score 10-2 however the Bearcats scored 14 of the next 19 points to take a 16-15 lead with 10:46 to go.

Aquino put Montclair back in front at the halfway point and after a free throw tied the game at 17-17, the Red Hawks went on an 8-0 run with Aquino scoring six pushing MSU to a 25-17 lead with 7:31 remaining.  A three-pointer by Aquino increased the lead to 10 points (32-22) with 5:45 to play and a basket by Tobie to end the half capped off a 21-6 run as Montclair State led 38-23 at the break.

Aquino finished 9-of-17 from the floor, including three buckets from behind the arc as the Red Hawks shot 47 percent (26-of-55) from the field for the contest. Bennett had four points and five rebounds while KATE TOBIE grabbed five rebounds as well. Brandon also added four rebounds and two assists as she passed a personal milestone with her 1,000^th career point in her first game with MSU after transferring from the College of New Rochelle.