NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y., November 6, 2022 – In the final matchup of opening weekend's Monroe Invitational, the No. 25-ranked Monroe College Mustangs women's basketball team dropped a 55-50 final score to Union County College on Sunday at the Monroe Athletic Complex. The Mustangs fall to 1-1 on the season with the loss, while the Owls improve to 2-0.
Much of Sunday's contest was a defensive struggle on both ends of the court. The first points of the game were scored by Sara Carvajal-Caro more than two and a half minutes into the first quarter. As the teams got into a rhythm, it was the Mustangs who stepped it up late, getting three-pointers from Amiyah Edney-Holmes and Aysia Pink in the final minute to take a 19-14 edge into the second.
The second quarter was a quiet one, with both teams combining for just 14 points. The Owls were able to get within one of the Mustangs, but never took the lead away from Monroe. A late layup by Emma Wilson-Saltos put Monroe up, b25-21, but the Owls got a free throw with 29 seconds left to make it a 25-22 score heading into halftime.
A 7-2 run midway through the third quarter, capped off by an Edney-Holmes three, pushed Monroe's lead to nine points, the Mustangs' largest of the afternoon. The Owls then went on a 9-2 run, cutting the deficit down to two points. The Owls later scored the final four points of the period to tie the game up at 45-45 going to the fourth.
The first point of the fourth was scored on free throw by Carlota Gomez-Alonso when she made the front half of a pair of free-throw tries, putting Monroe up, 46-45. It took nearly two more minutes before Union County's Nia Mallette made two chances from the charity stripe to thrust the Owls into the lead. Carvajal-Caro made a layup to put Monroe back on top, but Union's Ashley Philip also made a layup to go back up. Another two by Ahjanae Young made it a three-point advantage for the Owls, and sparked nearly four minutes without a point by either team. Olivia Medford scored to get Monroe back within one, but Nia Mallette soon after made two free throws to push the lead back to three. After a turnover, Khila Morris hit another two from the line for Union County, putting the visitors up, 55-50. The Mustangs were unable to connect on a number of chances in the final minutes, falling by five to the Owls.
Carvajal-Caro led the Mustangs with 10 points in the game. Gomez-Alonso and Edney-Holmes each tallied eight points. Medford finished with four points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Naomi Barnwell and Wilson-Saltos each scored six points, while Wilson-Saltos also pulled down five boards.
The Mustangs will play next on Wednesday, Nov. 9, when they visit Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg, N.J. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well the Monroe College marching band and the newly added esports and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 11 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at
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