MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Montclair State University women's basketball team outscored visiting Rowan University, 27-10 in the third quarter on the way to a 76-67 victory in the semifinals of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Wednesday.
 
The Profs were the fourth seed and end the year with an 18-9 record. The top-seeded Red Hawks (24-2) advance to the NJAC title game where they will host the sixth seed Rutgers-Newark on Saturday, Feb. 25 at a time to be determined. The Scarlet Raiders pulled off their second straight upset, knocking off #2 Kean University, 77-71 in the other semifinal. The NJAC champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
 
Guard Rachael Krauss (sr. Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) led Montclair State with 25 points on 8-of-16 shooting, all from beyond the arc. Guard/forward Katie Sire (jr. Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) recorded a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Guard Zoe Curtis (sr. Little Silver, NJ/Red Bank Reg.) and forward Sage Bennett (sr. Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Twp.) contributed with 10 points apiece. Guard Kate Tobie (jr. Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) dished 13 assists.
 
Rowan guard Anyssa Sanchez (sr. Pine Hill, NJ/Sterling) totaled 16 points and nine rebounds. She finishes her career with 1,242 points, which is sixth on the all-time list. Guards Valerie Garofalo (sr. Ventnor, NJ/Holy Spirit) and Summer Crilley (jr. Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) scored 11 and 10 points respectively. Guard Alexis Kriley (fr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) chipped in with eight points and forward Tamera Webster (so. Atco, NJ/Hammonton) tallied six points and five rebounds.
 
The Red Hawks were ahead 32-31 entering the third quarter. They started the frame with a 13-4 run to lead 45-35 (6:03). Sire had eight points, Krauss scored three and Bennett added a jumper. After baskets by Sanchez (5:42) and Webster (4:35), Montclair State closed the stanza with a 14-2 surge and were up by 18 (59-41). Four different players scored in the stretch and it was the largest margin of the game.
 
The Profs registered the first eight points of the final period to cut the deficit to 10 (59-49) with 6:56 left. Sanchez totaled four points and guard Dominique Peters (fr. Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) and Kriley each added two. Krauss hit a three and the score was 65-52 (5:28). Garofalo sank a pair of foul shots to trail by nine (68-59) with 1:29 remaining. Krauss connected from downtown again (0:41) to push the advantage to 12 (73-61). Rowan came within eight twice in the final seconds.
 
Sanchez (9:52), Crilley (9:11) and Garofalo (8:02) had the first three buckets of the contest for a 6-0 Profs' lead. The Red Hawks tallied eight of the next 11 points to trail 9-8 (5:40). Krauss drilled a pair of three-pointers and Sire converted two free throws. Bennett's layup (0:54) put Montclair State in front for the first time (16-15). The Red Hawks went into the second quarter up by one (18-17).
 
Guard Olivia Rulon (so. Cape May Court House, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) had a layup and foul shot to give Rowan a 24-22 lead (7:04). Montclair State followed with 10 of the next 14 points for a four-point cushion (32-28) with 1:56 on the clock. Sire led the way with five points. Garofalo had a pair of shots from the line (1:42) and added another free throw at the three-second mark to get the Profs within three (32-31) at the intermission.