NEWARK, NJ – Sophomore Rayven Johnson scored a career-high 24 points en route to a 74-63 women's basketball non-conference win over visiting University of Pennsylvania at the Fleisher Athletic Center Saturday afternoon.

The Highlanders recorded its first win of the 2010 season Saturday shooting nearly 60 percent from the field in the first half and finished strong shooting 51 percent for the game.

Johnson, a 5-foot-8 guard, shot 9-for-12 from the field and 5-for-8 from the free throw line.  Junior Melanie Griffin added 12 points for NJIT while sophomore Kimberly Dweck posted a career-high 11 points and five assists. 

Jessica Gerald and Ivana Seric added nine and eight points respectively for the Highlanders.  Seric was the individual leader for NJIT with eight rebounds and eight assists.  Seric was one assist shy her career-high nine, which came against Texas-Pan American last season.

Penn's Alyssa Baron scored a game-high 20 points and Jourdan Banks registered 12.  Erin Power was the game-leader with nine rebounds.

The Quakers jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the opening five minutes.  NJIT bounced back scoring the next five points for a 9-8 lead on a jumper by Seric. 

Penn regained the lead, 12-11, on a layup by Baron but the Highlanders went on an 11-0 run sparked by Johnson's three-pointer at the 11-minute mark for a 22-12 advantage.

Penn rallied and cut the Highlander lead to three, 26-23, on back-to-back three pointers at the 4:09 mark.   Johnson pushed the NJIT lead to five, 28-23, on the next possession down the floor.

The Quakers pulled to within one of the Highlanders on two different occasions in the final 2:10.  Jerin Smith hit a jumper in the paint at 1:38 for a 30-29 score, but NJIT scored six straight points taking a 36-29 halftime lead.

Johnson led all scorers at halftime with 12 points for NJIT.  Penn's Baron had 10 at the break.

Leading 36-29 at halftime, NJIT built a 10-point lead, 42-32, on a fast break layup by Seric at 17:04. 

Baron's three-pointer at 14:41 cut the Quaker lead to nine but NJIT's Emily Schartner completed an old-fashion three-point play at the 14:04 mark extending the Highlander lead to 13, 49-36.

The Quakers Baron cut the deficit to 10, 55-44, knocking down a three-pointer just under the 10:30 mark.  NJIT went on a 6-2 run over the next 2:30 on Gerald's three-pointer from the wing pushing the Highlander lead to 14, 60-46.

Baron sparked an 8-3 spurt for the Quakers hitting two free throws at 7:39.  NJIT's Gerald came down and answered with a three-pointer but Penn scored the next six points cutting the lead to single digits, 63-54.

Johnson scored the next five points for NJIT taking a 68-54 lead with 4:05 remaining in the contest. The Highlanders would take its biggest lead of the game on a pair of free throws made by Johnson at the 3:08 mark.

Penn, battling back, scored seven straight points pulling within nine of the Highlanders, 72-63, with 55 seconds on the clock.  Dweck hit a pair of three throws with 46 seconds remaining as NJIT held on for a 74-63 victory.

The Highlanders will return to action on Wednesday, December 1 when they travel to Riverdale, NY and face Manhattan.  Tip is set for 7pm.