Women's College Basketball
Monmouth University 87, Rider University 75
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Game

LAWRENCEVILLE—Despite a career-high 22 points from sophomore Kamila Hoskova (Czech Republic), the Rider University women's basketball team lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and hOURglass rivalry game on Thursday morning in Alumni Gymnasium to Monmouth University.

Due to an injury to senior Manon Pellet (Marseille, France), Hoskova played a career-high 37 minutes and added five assists, five rebounds and three steals while shooting 9-13 from the field.

“Kam had a game that we know she is capable of,” said head coach Lynn Milligan.  “She gave everything she had today.”

Pellet had her streak of 80 straight starts snapped after suffering a hip injury in the third quarter of Rider's win over Siena on January 17.

Monmouth (6-11, 4-4 MAAC) put five players in double-digits, led by 19 points off the bench from Jasmine McCall.

The Hawks opened the game on a 10-2 run and after sophomore C'quoya Haughton (Albany, N.Y./Stoneleigh Burnham Prep) cut the deficit to 16-10, Monmouth finished the first quarter on a 9-2 run and led 25-12 after the opening 10 minutes.

“The opening quarter sticks out in my mind,” said Milligan.  “Monmouth threw that proverbial first punch and we didn't respond.”

Playing 31 minutes, Haughton scored 15 points and added seven rebounds, five on the offensive glass, to go along with four assists and two steals.

Leading 36-24, the Hawks used an 8-2 run over the final 2:31 of the second quarter and Monmouth led 44-26 at intermission.

Trailing 60-34, Rider (4-14, 1-8 MAAC) cut the deficit to 18, out-scoring the Hawks 14-6 over the final 4:51 of the period, four points each by freshman Lexi Stover (Malvern, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) and junior Yeliz Dogan (Izmir, Turkey), making the score 66-48 Monmouth after 30 minutes.

Stover finished with those four points in 16 minutes off the bench with Dogan also finishing with four points in 20 minutes of play.

Junior Robin Perkins (Willingboro/Trenton Catholic) scored nine of her 13 points in the final quarter as the Broncs made a late 11-0 run, eventually cutting the Monmouth lead to 81-70 with 1:28 left in the game.

The third leading scorer in the MAAC, Perkins finished with 13 points and added four rebounds and three steals in 26 minutes of action.

Monmouth held a 40-37 rebounding advantage, including 21-16 on the offensive glass and the Hawks forced 22 Rider turnovers while converting 11 three-pointers.

Rider out-shot Monmouth 46 percent (29-63) to 43 percent (30-70).

Also for the Broncs, junior Julia Duggan (Marmora/Ocean City) had eight points, eight rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes of play.

Former Northeast Conference and now MAAC rivals, the game was the 40th meeting between the teams with Monmouth improving to 27-13 in the series.

Today was Rider's annual participation in the NCAA Kid's Day Out initiative where elementary and middle school students come to a college campus for a day with tours and activities surrounding a women's basketball game.  Over 800 fans packed Rider's Alumni Gym.

“The crowd was great,” Milligan added.  “Karin (Torchia) and Donte (Carty) do a fabulous job putting the Kid's Day event on and we are appreciative of their efforts.  We hope everyone had a great time and will come back for another game.”

Rider and Monmouth meet again on February 25 at 7pm in West Long Branch on ESPN3.

Due to the impending snowstorm, Rider's next game against Manhattan, scheduled for Saturday, has been moved to Monday at 7pm. 

-RU-