Montclair, NJ – Senior forward KATIE SIRE scored 17 points while ALEX MCKINNON reached double figures as Montclair State posted its fourth straight win, downing Rutgers-Newark 54-43 at the Panzer Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Red Hawks improved to 6-1 overall, 3-0 in the NJAC with the victory. TAYLOR HARMON added nine points and five rebounds as MSU rematch of last year's NJAC Championship Game. Montclair improved to 58-7 all-time against the Scarlet Raiders as it stretched its winning streak in the series to 14 games.

Faith Ashby finished with a game-high 19 points for Rutgers-Newark (4-3, 1-2 NJAC) which suffered its second consecutive loss.

The Red Hawks fell behind 4-0 in the first minute of the contest but chipped its way back into the lead three minutes later. Harmon put Montclair in front with a layup and three points by McKinnon boosted the lead to 12-8 with 4:21 to go. The Raiders answered with a basket at the other end however Montclair scored five in a row as JANAE MAYFIELD put in a layup and Sire completed a three-point play en route to giving the Red Hawks a 17-12 lead at one quarter.

MSU clamped down on Rutgers-Newark in the second quarter holding the Raiders to just one field goal in the 10-minute period. Harmon extended the lead to 18-12 with 7:52 left and KATE TOBIE, who had nine points and five assists, added two at the line increasing the advantage to eight points. After a field goal by RU-N's Nicole Skelly, with 5:44 to play, Harmon collected four in a row with McKinnon netting the last four points as Montclair went into the locker room up 28-14.

The Red Hawks maintained their double-digit lead the rest of the way. Rutgers-Newark got it down to 37-27 with 3:26 in the third but Sire countered with a basket on the next possession and a three-pointer from TAYLOR BROWN followed by a layup in the closing minute gave Montclair State a 45-28 lead heading into the fourth.

Montclair State returns to action on Wednesday, December 6 taking the short nine-mile trek to Wayne, NJ to face William Paterson at the WPU Rec Center beginning at 6:00 pm.