Saturday’s New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup against The College of New Jersey did not go according to plan for the Ramapo College women’s basketball team, as the Roadrunners fell to the Lions 57-33.
“We woke up on the wrong side of the bed and couldn’t get it right. We couldn’t hit water if we fell out of the boat,” said head coach Mike Eineker.
The 33 points were the lowest total the women have scored all season. The Roadrunners had a tough time finishing on their chances, and converted on only eight of 55 field goal attempts.
The Lions were lead by junior Kylie O’Donnell and senior Tiffany DeTulio, who scored 13 and 10 points respectively. O’Donnell made three of four three point attempts and her team converted nine of 22 in the game.
However, the Roadrunners were not able to match the Lion’s offensive performance. Over half of Ramapo’s points came from free throws as they converted 16 of 26. Junior Kelly Haspel led the Roadrunners with four baskets on six attempts.
Junior Jackie Jerkovich made one three-point basket and led Ramapo with seven points. Senior Micaela Moore and freshman Bintou Berete added six points each. They made just two field goals each on a combined 30 attempts in the game.
“We had a tough time shooting,” Eineker said. “It was a shame because we’ve been playing well lately. I thought we just had a completely off day, which is unusual.”
At the end of the first half, TCNJ doubled Ramapo’s score, and led the game 26-13.
The Roadrunners came out hungry in the second half, and were able to generate more shooting opportunities than in the first. Jerkovich scored six of her seven points and the Roadrunners earned 20 points in the second half.
However, the Lions were able to pile on 31 more points in the second half, led by senior Liz West, who had six points and was three for three on field goal attempts.
The game not only marked the Roadrunners fewest point total this season, but the 24 point margin was the second widest point differential they have lost by this season.
With the win, TCNJ improves to 10-3 in the NJAC and 14-6 overall. They are currently in second place in the NJAC standings behind the Roadrunners next opponent, Montclair.
The Roadrunners, now 10-10 overall and 7-6 in the NJAC, will visit the Red Hawks on Thursday, Feb. 6 and will need to put together a more complete offensive and defensive game to avoid another embarrassing loss to the conference’s top team.
Montclair has won its last four games, is 18-2 overall and own the NJAC with a 12-1 conference record. The Red Hawks will bring momentum into the game, coming off an 87-30 blowout win against Rutgers-Camden on Saturday.
Coach Eineker said his team has to be prepared for the game, considering that they have just five NJAC matchups left in the season. Ramapo currently sits in the fifth of six NJAC tournament spots, with Richard Stockton and Rutgers-Newark just one game behind.
“Hopefully we can get back on track and make a run for the playoffs,” Eineker said.
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mmontal1@ramapo.edu
