Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey women's basketball team stunned eighth-ranked Montclair State University with a 49-40 upset victory in Packer Hall on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lions (8-7, 5-4 NJAC) won their third straight and handed the Red Hawks (14-1, 7-1 NJAC) their first loss of the season. The win marked the first over MSU since January of 2010, snapping a 10-game skid against the formidable New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent.
 
Team defense was the key component in the triumph. TCNJ held the Montclair to a season-low 40 points (56 was their previous), limiting the Red Hawks to just 16 field goals on 25 percent shooting and 3-of-24 attempts from three-point range.
 
It was a gutty effort by the entire Lions' roster and a tremendous win for Head Coach Dawn Henderson and her staff. Montclair showed its resilience and made a run late in the final quarter, but TCNJ held firm and staved off the threat of a late-game comeback.
 
Junior Nikki Schott (Washington, NJ/Warren Hills) registered her third straight double-double. She finished with a game-high 13 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Kate O'Leary (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) reached double figures with 10 points and eight boards, while Chiara Palombi (Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) battled for eight points and six boards.
 
An outstanding defensive effort in the first half set the tone and gave TCNJ a 28-14 lead at the break. The Lions weathered an early storm by MSU and held the Red Hawks six field goals on 21 percent shooting. They forced nine turnovers and tallied 11 points off turnovers in the half.
 
In the opening minutes of the contest, the Red Hawks demonstrated how they lead the NJAC and rank ninth nationally in scoring defense (47.9 points per game). They held the Lions scoreless for the first 4:28 of the game. Fortunately when O'Leary broke the ice, it was only a two-point game. While TCNJ was battling the Montclair press, they matched the intensity on the defensive end. They caused five Red Hawk turnovers in the first quarter. After settling in offensively, the Lions took an 11-8 lead on a bucket underneath from junior Charlotte Schum (East Hanover, NJ/Morris Catholic).
 
TCNJ continued its tough defense through the second quarter. They held MSU without a point for eight minutes and staged a 13-0 run. A bank shot by Schott extended the host advantage to 17-8 midway through the second. Schott finished the first half with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting and the Lions maintained command of the contest and up by a score of 28-14.
 
The tenacity on defense returned to the floor after the intermission. The Lions did not permit a point for the first four minutes, and a three-point field goal by O'Leary gave TCNJ its largest lead at 31-14. A conventional three-point play by Sage Bennett snapped the offensive skid for the Red Hawks, but O'Leary countered with a lay-up and free throw, followed by a Schott basket from underneath.
 
Montclair battled its way back into the game late in the third quarter with a 9-2 run. They resumed their full-court press, but the Lions maintained their double-digit lead at 38-26 at the close of three periods.
 
A three-pointer from the right corner by Zoe Curtis closed the gap to 40-33. She followed with a drive and finish with 4:50 to play to make it a five-point game. TCNJ sophomore guard Nicole Shatsky (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) stopped the 9-2 run with a strong layup to push the lead back to seven with four minutes to play.
 
With 3:12 remaining, Palombi stepped up big for the Lions when they needed it most. She hit nothing from the baseline and then stole a pass in the paint to hold off the MSU attack.
 
With under a minute remaining, Red Haw Rachael Krauss connected from behind the arc from the left side to cut the deficit to 45-40, but Schum dropped in both free throws. Following a MSU turnover, O'Leary knocked down two more to seal the upset win.
 
Schum finished with eight points and freshman Christine Woods (River Edge, NJ/River Dell) added five points and six rebounds.
 
The win also marked the second time this season that the Lions defeated a ranked opponent. They knocked off #21 Stockton University, 63-59 in Galloway, NJ on November 30.
 
TCNJ returns to action on Wednesday night when they visit Rutgers University-Camden for a 6 p.m. start.