Wayne, NJ… The College of New Jersey women's basketball team ran into a hot-shooting William Paterson in the conference opener for both squads as the Pioneers connected on nine of their first 11 shots on their way to a 63-51 win over the Lions on Tuesday.
 
The loss dropped TCNJ to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, while William Paterson in 1-0 in the league and 2-1 overall.
 
The Pioneers set a blistering pace from the field in the early racing out to a 22-10 lead. The Lions battled back with a 3-pointer by Jessica Goldbach (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) and a bucket by Kelly Coughlin (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull), on a play that started with a defensive rebound from Candace Vigo (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick Health Science Technology). That small run quickly cut the margin to seven points at 22-15.
 
Later in the half, the Lions once again pulled to within seven points modest 6-0 run making it a 33-27 game. Sophomore Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) hit back-to-back lay-ups, while Coughlin knocked down a pair of free throws with 3:18 left in the period.
 
William Paterson netted six of the final eight points in the opening period to claim a 39-29 lead.
 
TCNJ need only five seconds in the second half to once again pull within seven as junior Kelly Roddy (Belmar, NJ/St. Rose) drained a 3-pointer, but the Pioneers pushed their lead back to double figures.
 
The Lions made another run late in the second half, scoring seven straight points. Goldbach started that spurt with a basket in the paint and Colleen Duffy (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) had a trey making it a 55-47 game. Junior Tiffany DeTulio (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) capped off the run with a basket making it a six-point game with 6:36 showing on the clock.
 
That was a close as the Lions would get during the final stretch as the Pioneers went to secure a 63-51 win.
 
Coughlin paced TCNJ with 14 points, while Goldbach reached double figures for the second straight game with 13. O'Donnell chipped in eight and Vigo led the Lions with nine rebounds.
 
The Pioneers finished the game shooting 49.1 percent from the floor, but it was the hot opening minutes that put them in front early and carried them to the win.
 
Next up for the Lions is their home opener on Wednesday, November 28 at 6 p.m. when they host Richard Stockton College at 6 p.m. in Packer Hall.