NEWARK, NJ – The NJIT women's basketball team struggled through two long scoreless droughts in its game against Penn and it led to a lopsided loss, 59-29, Saturday afternoon at the Fleisher Athletic Center.

The Quakers, the defending Ivy League champs, who last season made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade, improved to 9-6 overall while the Highlanders dropped to 8-14 on the season.

Junior forward Ronni Grandison was the lone Highlander to register in double figures, scoring a career-high 10 points. Senior center Nicole Maticka had six points, but registered six blocked shots, increasing her school record to 219.

The Highlanders were devastated by two long stretches where they could not score, including nearly a 10-minute span of the second half that sealed the victory for the Quakers.

Penn freshman forward Michelle Nwokedi had 14 points, seven rebounds and five blocked shots off the bench to pace the Quakers. Nwokedi scored six points in a 9-0 Quaker run that gave Penn a 44-17 lead with 11:38 remaining.

Sophomore center Sydney Stipanovich had seven points and nine rebounds for the winners.

The Quakers wasted little time taking complete control of the game, outscoring the Highlanders, 11-2, over the first five minutes. Stipanovich scored the Quakers' first two baskets and Kathleen Roche drained a 3-pointer in the run.

The Highlanders managed to convert on only two field goals over the first 12 minutes of the game, putting them in a hole.

Meanwhile the Quakers methodically increased their lead, thanks to five straight points from Nwokedi on a 3-pointer and a power move. Sade Gibbons, who had six points off the bench in the first half, make shot in the lane that pushed the lead to 18-4.

The Quakers then took a 27-9 lead on another Gibbons power move with 4:55 remaining.

The Highlanders managed to slice the lead somewhat thanks to the offensive production of Grandison, who earned a rare start in the game. Grandison hit a lane jumper that brought the Highlanders to within 27-13 in the closing stages of the first half.
 
Penn held a 30-15 advantage at intermission while outrebounding the Highlanders by a 23-15 margin.

Roche paced the Quakers at the half with eight points, with Gibbons and Nwokedi adding six points each.

Grandison was the halftime leading scorer for the Highlanders with six points. No other Highlander had more than one field goal in the first half.

NJIT will have the next nine days off and will return to action on Tuesday, February 3, when the Highlanders play host to Delaware State as part of a doubleheader with the men's team. The women tip off at 5:30 p.m., with the men following at 7:30 p.m.

Release courtesy James Hague