MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Rowan University women's basketball team outscored Montclair State University, 22-11 in the fourth quarter but it was not enough in a 68-62 loss to the Red Hawks on Saturday.
 
The Profs are 13-7 overall and 7-6 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Montclair State ups its record to 18-1 with an 11-1 NJAC mark. The Red Hawks are ranked 18^th in this week's D3hoops.com and Women's Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 Polls.
 
Guard/forward Katie Sire (jr. Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) led Montclair State with 20 points and forward Sage Bennett (sr. Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Twp.) followed with 12 points. They each grabbed six rebounds. Guards Kate Tobie (jr. Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) and Zoe Curtis (sr. Little Silver, NJ/Red Bank Reg.) posted 10 points apiece. Curtis totaled eight boards while Tobie dished four assists. Guard Rachael Krauss (sr. Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) tallied nine points and six rebounds. Forward Yazmine Lacey (jr. Ewing, NJ/Ewing) brought down 10 boards.
 
Rowan guard Summer Crilley (jr. Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) registered 16 points. She was 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Guard Anyssa Sanchez (sr. Pine Hill, NJ/Sterling) and guard/forward Alex Raring (jr. Linwood, NJ/Mainland Reg.) recorded 13 and 11 points respectively. Guard Alexis Kriley (fr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) produced nine points while center April Szymczyk (jr. Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) totaled six points and six rebounds.
 
Montclair State had its largest lead of the contest at 21 (57-36) with 1:03 remaining in the third quarter. The Profs scored the next eight points to cut the deficit to 13 (57-44) with 9:01 to go in the fourth. Tobie's free throw (5:05) made the score 61-46. Kriley hit a jumper (4:01) and Sanchez made two shots at the line (3:17) to make it an 11-point game (61-50). Bennett converted four straight foul shots (2:55, 2:49), Crilley drilled a three (2:35) and Tobie had a free throw (1:22) for a 66-53 Red Hawks advantage. Crilley sank a three-pointer (0:35) before forward Alex McKinnon (fr. Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Ludlowe) made two from the stripe (0:20) to increase the lead to 12 (68-56). Crilley hit two more triples (0:15, 0:07) to end the scoring.
 
Curtis' three-pointer (4:40) gave Montclair State a 9-5 edge in the opening period. Sanchez had two foul shots and Kriley's jump shot was good to tie the score at nine (2:08). The Red Hawks took a 16-13 lead to the second quarter. Lacey's layup gave Montclair State a six-point cushion (21-15) with 7:17 to play. Raring's jumper (6:27) and Sanchez's three-point play (4:26) brought Rowan within one (21-20). Tobie had a layup at the 38-second mark and the Red Hawks were up 29-24 at the break.
 
The Profs began the third stanza with a 7-2 run to even the score at 31 (8:25). Montclair State followed with a 26-5 surge over the next 7:22 for its largest margin at 21 (57-36). Sire led all scorers in the stretch with 10 points.
 
Rowan welcomes The College of New Jersey to Glassboro for a conference game on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m.