Dec. 12, 2006

Box Score

HACKENSACK, NJ - New Jersey Institute of Technology rallied to give itself a chance in the closing minutes, but the Highlanders, short of time, fell at Fairleigh Dickinson, 78-69, in women's basketball Tuesday night.

NJIT, which faced its biggest deficit--17 points, at 67-50, with 7:54 remaining in the game, clawed back into contention with a 15-3 rally that closed FDU's lead to 70-65 with 1:28 left.

The Highlanders were forced to foul on all but one ensuing possession--a steal by Lesley Hendricks with seven seconds left--and the Knights secured the win with 8-for-10 free throw shooting over the last 65 seconds.

Senior guard Gayle Coats was 5-for-6 at the line in the last 35 seconds, finishing with 12 points for Fairleigh. One of three Knights double-figure scorers, she also had 10 assists and just one turnover in 32 minutes.

FDU freshman forward Christy Altamirano led all scorers with 19 points and junior center Jennifer Walkling added 16 points on 8-for-12 shooting, before fouling out. Altamirano's 9 rebounds paced the Knights.

The Highlanders had four double-figure scorers, headed by the freshman Hendricks, who came off the bench for 13 points, including 11 in the second half. Three Highlanders--senior Kelly Crowe, freshman Katie Piekielski and sophomore Jill Dickinson--all scored 12 points. Crowe got all 12 points in the second half.

NJIT, which outrebounded Fairleigh Dickinson, 37-30, got a game-high 10 rebounds from sophomore Ali Baumlin. The Highlanders had 17 offensive rebounds, which they turned into 13 second-chance points.

NJIT scored the game's first five points and held what would be its biggest lead of the night, 21-13, after Aine O'Dwyer's layup with 7:38 remaining in the first half.

However, Altamirano, who scored 16 first-half points, got 12 of them in a run that saw FDU transform the eight-point deficit into a 36-30 halftime lead. In addition to Altamirano's 16, the Knights also got 10 first-half points from Walkling. Dickinson's 10 points led the Highlanders at the half.

FDU played its best basketball at the start of the second half and first pushed its advantage into double figures at 42-32 on Walkling's layup 1:49 into the second period. A three-pointer by Jordan Sykes made it 49-34 in the game and 13-4 in the opening 4:42 of the second half for the Knights.

NJIT responded with the first of its two sustained second-half pushes and cut the deficit back to a manageable 58-50 when Crowe hit two free throws at the 10:22 mark. FDU then scored nine unanswered points and took its 17-point lead, 67-50, when Mercedez Walker scored a layup with 7:54 left.

NJIT, keyed by Hendricks' seven points, staged its 15-3 rally that made the score 70-65, FDU, after Colleen Vogel made two foul shots with 1:28 left.

NJIT will break for exams and return to action on December 22, with a rare weekday afternoon game (Friday at 3 pm), as the Highlanders host St. Francis (NY) in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.