Monmouth’s Women’s Basketball won both games played at OceanFirst Bank Center this week, picking up wins on Friday and Sunday.
On Friday night, the Hawks hosted the North Carolina A&T Aggies. Entering the game, North Carolina A&T was undefeated in CAA play and on an eight game winning streak after starting 2-7.
The Hawks were coming off of a trip to the Carolinas, where they defeated Charleston but fell to UNC Wilmington in overtime.
The Hawks got out to a quick start, opening a 17-10 lead by the time the first quarter concluded. The Aggies started the second quarter on a 9-4 run, but Monmouth responded with ten unanswered points, guard Damaris Rodriguez scoring six of those. Monmouth went to the locker room with a 31-19 lead.
The second half started slow for both teams, as there were only four combined points in the first five minutes of the third quarter. Monmouth maintained a steady 44-33 lead heading into the fourth.
The Aggies launched a comeback in the final frame, closing to within three points in the final minute. However, the Hawks defense stood tall shutting the door with a 54-49 victory. The Hawks controlled the game, as North Carolina A&T held the lead only once, early on in the first quarter. The loss was the Aggies’ first in CAA play.
Rodriguez would lead the scoring for Monmouth, ending with 18 points. Guard Kemari Reynolds scored 13 points off the bench, setting a season high. Center Belle Kranbuhl and forward Ella Farrelly each scored six points.
Two days later, the Hawks were back at home to face the Northeastern Huskies. The Huskies entered the game with a 1-14 record, with their only win coming against Wagner on Nov. 22. After taking an 18-7 lead in the first, Monmouth would blow the game open in the second quarter. A 27-point second quarter for the Hawks gave them a 42-19 lead heading into halftime.
The Huskies were unable to overcome the deficit in the second half, and Monmouth closed out a 69-46 win in a game in which they never trailed.
Forward Taisha Exanor led the way for Monmouth, scoring 16 points while shooting 75% from the field. Rodriguez scored 14 points and shot 66% from three. Guard Rachel Kuhl had her best game of the season, scoring nine points courtesy of making three three-point shots.
Monmouth now sits with a record of 10-9 overall and 5-3 in CAA. The Hawks will make a second trip to North Carolina to play Campbell and Elon before returning home to host Drexel on Feb. 7.
