Box Score

Madison, NJ (12/10/11) – Freshman forward Melissa Tobie (Elizabeth/Roselle Catholic) recorded a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds as Montclair State snapped its four-game losing streak with a 62-53 win at Drew University on Saturday.

Senior Jaime Ericson (Flemington/Hunterdon Central) added 14 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals as the Red Hawks improved to 3-4 with their first win since November 19 against Regis in the Eastern Connecticut Tip-Off Tournament.

MSU never trailed in the contest but battled the host Rangers throughout never leading by more than eight points. The Red Hawks took a 16-8 lead as Michelle Montagna (New Providence, NJ / New Providence) connected on a jumper at the midpoint of the period. Drew would cut the lead back to two points twice, the latter coming with 4:05 remaining as Victoria Ault scored on a layup to make the score 22-20.

Tobie connected from behind the arc on the next Montclair possession to push the lead back to five points and Janitza Aquino's (Kearny, NJ / Kearny) three-pointer with 2:20 left put Montclair in front 30-22 as it took a 32-26 lead into the break.

After going down six at the sound of the first half horn, the Red Hawks and Rangers went back and forth for the first seven minutes of the second half.  The Rangers narrowed the Montclair State lead from eight to four at the 13-minute mark thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers by Danielle Barber and junior Whitney Mackay. A pair of free throws by Ault on the ensuing possession whittled the Red Hawk lead to just two points with 10:42 remaining in the game.

Montclair State would lead four over the next four minutes before Drew tied the contest with less than five minutes as Mackay and Britta Olsen each knocked down a pair of free throws knotting the contest at 50-50.

The Red Hawk defense clamped down for the next three minutes, not allowing a Ranger point until 1:34 left in the game.  Meanwhile, MSU regained the lead scoring eight straight points, including a layup by Tobie that made the score 58-50 with 1:53 on the clock. With the Red Hawks leading 59-52, the Montclair State put together another defensive stand, allowing only a free throw for the remainder of the contest to seal their third victory of the year.

Drew went 15-for-19 from the charity stripe while Montclair missed only two shots from the line, finishing 20-for-22.

Aquino finished with nine points off the bench while Colleen Kelly (Rockaway, NJ / Morris Hills) added five points, two rebounds and two blocked shots.

Montclair returns to action on Monday, December 12 as the Red Hawks retuen home for the first time since November 22 to face the Hawks of New Paltz at 7:00 pm.