Box Score

MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Montclair State University women’s basketball team won 71-56 over Rowan University in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Monday night.

Montclair State (17-9) travels to the South Division’s number one seed The College of New Jersey (20-5) on Wednesday, February 27 for a 7 p.m. semifinal game. Rowan ends the season with a 15-11 record. The Red Hawks were the second seed in the conference’s North Division while the Profs were the third seed from the South Division.

In the other first round game, number two from the South Division Kean University defeated the third seed from the North Division Rutgers-Newark, 73-44. Kean (23-3) advances to the semifinals at the North Division’s first seed William Paterson University (20-5) on Wednesday. The two winners meet in the championship on Friday, February 29 at the higher seed. The conference champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.

MSU had four players that scored in double figures. Guard Kisandra Ayanbeku (so. Burlington, MA/Randolph) led the way with a game- high 20 points off the bench. Guard Jessica Garrabrant (sr. Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) contributed with 12 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Forward Catherine Cristino (so. Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) and guard Marianne McGovern (jr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Paramus Catholic) each added 11 points. Cristino also grabbed seven rebounds and guard Jackie Berry (so. Tuckerton, NJ/Pinelands Regional) dished six assists.

For Rowan, forward Jillian Kane (so. Ridgefield Park, NJ/Ridgefield Park) totaled 12 points and eight rebounds. Forwards Jessica Nimbley (so. Middletown, NJ/St. John Vianney) and Ashley Cieplicki (jr. Haworth, NJ/Dumont) had nine and eight points respectively. Guard Brynn DeGroff (jr. Wildwood Crest, NJ/Wildwood) posted five steals.

In the first half, the Profs had the lead until 14:16 when Garrabrant made a jumper that put the Red Hawks up 6-5. MSU did not trail for the remainder of the game. Rowan was down by one point (8-7) at 13:11. The Red Hawks built a 10 point advantage (19-9) with an 11-2 run in a span of 5:33. McGovern ended the surge with two straight baskets. Berry’s jumper with 3:30 remaining made the score 28-14. Cieplicki had a layup that pulled the Profs within 10 points (34-24) with 14 seconds left and Berry followed with a jumper at the five second mark. MSU was ahead 36-24 at the intermission.

In the second period, Berry nailed two free throws at 16:41 to lead by 16 (42-26). The Profs cut the deficit to 10 points (47-37) for the final time after Kane’s jumper at the 11:07 mark. MSU’s biggest lead of the game was 21 points (66-45) after Ayanbeku made a foul shot.