Mahwah, NJ… The College of New Jersey defense had stretches on the defensive end of the floor where they held the Ramapo women's basketball team scoreless for several minutes, but it was one final defensive stand in the closing seconds that allowed the Lions to pull out a 47-46 road win on Saturday.
 
The win was the fourth in a row for the Lions as they moved to 3-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference play and 5-2 overall. The Roadrunners, which entered the day in a three-way tie for second place in the conference with TCNJ and Richard Stockton College, dropped to 2-2 in league and 6-2 overall.
 
The game had an exciting finish TCNJ's Kylie O'Donnell (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) put the Lions in front 45-42 with a jumper with just under three minutes remaining.
 
The Lions protected that lead until the final minute when Ramapo's Alex Milne (Howell, NJ/Howell) sank a shot with 25 seconds remaining lifting the hosts back in front at 46-45.
 
TCNJ came right down the floor and regained that lead when Liz West (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore Regional) scored putting the visitors back on top 47-46 with 15 seconds left.
 
The Lion defense then made one last stand when Kelly Haspel (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) missed a 3-pointer and Milne then missed a on a put back with one second on the clock as West to snared the rebound  preventing the Roadrunners another attempt.
 
In the opening half, the Roadrunners led from the start scoring the game's first six points and then extending that lead to 9-2 and then 12-5. TCNJ's defense kept things tight from there by keeping Ramapo off of the scoreboard for 5:42 that allowed the offense get back to with a field goal following a bucket from West.  
 
The hosts then went on to build a 20-13 lead with 6:58 left in the opening from, but once again the Lions put together another defensive stretch and didn't allow a point the rest of the period. Ramapo also didn't allow a field goal during that time, however, O'Donnell and Colleen Duffy (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) each hit twice from the line trimming their deficit to 20-17.
 
Junior Tiffany DeTulio (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) came out firing in the second half helping the Lions tie the game and then take its first lead hitting 3-pointers just over a minute apart. The teams traded the lead several times until later in the frame when TCNJ led 36-34 and then carried the advantage into the final minute setting up West's game-winning bucket.
 
In what has been the case all season, the Lions cashed in on their scoring balance with West leading the way with a modest 10 points and sophomore Kelly Coughlin (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) added eight. DeTulio, Candace Vigo (New Brunswick, NJ/New Brunswick Health Science Technology), and Jessica Goldbach (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) each contributed with six points.
 
 
The Lions return home on Wednesday, December 12 for another conference game hosting Rowan University at 6 p.m.