Mahwah, NJ – The Montclair State University women's basketball team was clipped by Ramapo College 58-57 in New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Wednesday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Montclair opened the contest with nine of the first 10 markers, including a pair of triples from MEGAN DUFFY. The Roadrunners closed to within one before three-pointers from BRIANNA MONTAJES and SHANNON HUGHES brought the gap back to five at 15-10.
• Duffy extended the margin back to eight as she opened the second quarter with a three-pointer as the Red Hawks held Ramapo scoreless for over four minutes midway through the period. During the four-minute drought, Ramapo went 0-for-10 from the floor.
• The Roadrunners netted the final four points of the opening half, but Montclair entered halftime with a four-point lead. Duff led the Red Hawks with nine points in the opening 20 minutes as OLIVIA VERO pulled down eight first-half boards.
• Ramapo bridged the second and third quarters with a 14-0 spurt, as Montclair went without a point for 6:27. Hughes broke the scoring run with nine straight markers on three consecutive shots from long range, turning a six-point deficit into a three-point advantage.
• A 9-3 Roadrunner spurt pushed them in front 41-36 before a Montajes layup ended the third quarter. ISABELLA ORLANDO's corner three-pointer gave Montclair a one-point edge, and a layup from Duffy stretched the margin to three with 6:04 remaining in the fourth.
• Orlando snapped a 49-all tie with a three-pointer with 3:51 to go, but the hosts notched the next five for a two-point lead. Hughes inched Montclair in front with a three, and a Ramapo free throw tied things at 55. Duffy converted a layup off an inbound with five seconds left, but Ramapo hit a corner three-pointer at the buzzer to escape with a one-point win

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Hughes drained six three-pointers, one off of her career-high. She led the Red Hawks with 18 points.
• Vero hauled in 11 rebounds, her sixth game with 10 or more boards this season.
• Orlando and Duffy combined for 23 points, with Montajes adding a career-high nine points off the bench.

FROM THE COURT
"Hard fault battle tonight by our team. Proud of the effort and thought we had a collective team presents. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough tonight. But we plan to to keep working to get better as a team." Associate Head Coach Katie Sire. 

UP NEXT
The Red Hawks open the two-day Mike Scala Memorial Classic on December 30 as they host Ursinus College at noon.