Glassboro, NJ … The College of New Jersey women's basketball team ran into a tough opponent in Rowan University and suffered an 87-66 setback in New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Wednesday night.
 
The loss drops the Lions to 10-11 overall this season and 6-8 in the NJAC. They will look to get back on track this Saturday when the host New Jersey City University.
 
The Profs (19-2, 13-1) showcased why they're the top team in team in the conference standings, racing to a 28-12 lead in the opening quarter. They compiled 20 steals in the game and utilized their strong three-point shooting to secure the win.
 
Turnovers haunted TCNJ in the first half, as they led to 21 points for Rowan. The Lions settled down in the second half and outscored the Profs 39-30. But the deficit was too large to overcome against a talented team on its home court.
 
Senior Angelica Esposito (Lincroft, NJ/St. John Vianney) had a team-high 20 points and five assists, while rookie Kate O'Leary (Trumbull, CT/Trumball) scored 13 points off the bench. Senior Christina Merlin (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop Ahr) worked hard underneath the boards, pulling down nine rebounds. Junior guard Kim Dana (Freehold, NJ/Freehold) chipped in with 11 points and four assists.
 
The Lions continue their conference schedule this Saturday when they host the Gothic Knights at 1 p.m. in Packer Hall.