NORTH ANDOVER, MA–NJIT had four players reach double-digits led by a team-high 16 points from Alejandra Zuniga but the visiting Highlanders fell at Merrimack 87-76 in women's basketball non-conference action Saturday afternoon inside Bert Hammel Court.
The Warriors, winners of four straight, improve to 4-2 on the season while the Highlanders move to 2-5 on the young season.
In addition to Zuniga's team-best 16 points – Olivia Kulyk combined for 14 points, a new career-high for the freshman (13 points vs. Hofstra) while Trinity Williams and Allison Cannon each chipped in 10 points.
Madilyn Dogs came off the bench to lead NJIT on the boards with five as Merrimack held a huge advantage on the glass, 40-to-25, paced by Madison Roman and Rose Caso's game-best seven rebounds.
Merrimack had four players in double-digits paced by a game-best 20 points from Mia Fiore followed by Paloma Garcia (19), Thalia Shepard (11) and Candance Johnson (11).
Olivia Kulyk scored eight of NJIT's 12 points heading into the under-five media timeout to start the game on 3-of-4 from the field and 2-for-2 from three-point range. Merrimack scored the last nine consecutive over the final 3:32 of the first period to take a 20-14 lead. Kulyk led all players with eight points.
Merrimack continued its run into the second quarter, using a 9-2 spurt over the first minute and a half to increase the Warriors lead to 28-16 at the 8:50 mark. Merrimack pushed its lead to as many as 13, 34-21, behind a 15-5 spurt, at the 6:09 mark. NJIT scored seven straight out of the timeout, slimming the Warriors lead to single digits, 34-28, at the four-minute mark. In the final 2:43, Merrimack closed out the first half on a 9-2 run (7-0 in the last 2:18), including a jumper at the buzzer to head into the half with a 48-35 lead.
The Warriors Mia Fiore led all players with 12 points while Allison Cannon paced NJIT with 10 points in 15 minutes.
Merrimack went ahead by 20, 60-40, behind a 10-4 run over 4:18 at the under-five minute media timeout in the third quarter. NJIT scored eight straight midway through the quarter and finished the period on a 13-3 spurt (5-0 in the last 1:49), closing the gap to within 13, 68-55.
NJIT cut the Merrimack lead to seven, 68-61, to start the fourth quarter after an old-fashioned three-point play by Trinity Williams and trey ball by Alejandra Zuniga. The Warriors scored six unanswered to extend its lead back up to double-digits, 74-61, resulting in a Highlander timeout. Enya Maguire connected on a three-pointer and Zuniga followed up with a pair of free throws at the 1:22 mark to cut the lead to 11-points, 83-72 but the Warriors would hold on for their fourth straight win of the season, defeating the visiting Highlanders, 87-76.
Next Up
NJIT will close out the month of November, welcoming Lafayette on November 26 at 7pm on ESPN+ before breaking for Thanksgiving.
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