The Hofstra University women’s basketball team defeated the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Highlanders 67-65 in a non-conference matchup on Saturday, Nov. 25, at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. The win pushes the Pride to 3-2 on the season.
“Really proud of this team and the way they fought, fought, fought, for 40 minutes,” said Hofstra head coach Danielle Santos Atkinson. “Showing so much growth in so many areas of emphasis that have been for us and areas that we needed to get better at and grow in.”
Sorelle Ineza led both teams in points with 19 total. Ally Knights got her the ball and led both sides with six assists.
“Ally is a great basketball player and good person in general,” Ineza said. “Every day we work hard together, and she’s very vocal. She gets us together, she’s very positive. She never gives up, she works hard, so it’s really easy to follow behind that.”
The Pride dominated the first quarter, leading 20-15. NJIT’s offense gained momentum starting in the second quarter. After the Pride pushed the lead to 30-22, the Highlanders cut the deficit to 34-33. Hofstra went into halftime up 36-33.
Hofstra got off to a hot start to begin the second half. Two quick 3-pointers put the team up by nine. The Highlanders took control of the paint and cut the deficit to 44-43. The Pride scored five unanswered points before NJIT made it a 51-50 game. NJIT trailed 53-50 going into the fourth quarter.
The Pride scored the first points of the fourth quarter to put them up 55-50 before the Highlanders scored five straight points to tie the game. The teams went back and forth before a 3-pointer by NJIT’s Trinity Williams put her team up 59-57, their first lead since they led 3-2 at the beginning of the game. Ineza responded with a three of her own to put the Pride up by one.
NJIT went up 63-61 after scoring at the free-throw line. Ineza scored a jumper to tie it at 63 before Lyzi Litwinko answered back to give the Highlanders a 65-63 lead with 43 seconds left in the game. Following a timeout, Brooke Anya was fouled by Williams and scored both free throws to tie it at 65. With just five seconds left, Janaia Fargo put the Pride ahead by one at the free-throw line. Anya was fouled on the rebound after the second shot and hit one of her free throws. With just two-tenths of a second on the clock, NJIT was unable to draw up the right play, and Hofstra hung on for the victory.
“When we get up and get leads, teams have slowly been able to creep back in,” Santos said. “So looking at when we have to this possession, making it an emphasis, more communication on the floor, we have to get a stop. And that’s fight, grit, and toughness.”
Anya finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. The point total was a season-high for the transfer from Longwood University.
“I think it’s definitely the confidence that my teammates and the coaches have in me just to allow me to play freely,” Anya said. “It was a little bit of a rough start, but just the constant belief and support and belief in me is what got me so far.”
Next up, the Pride will head up to West Point, New York, to take on the U.S. Military Academy.
“We got to go in with the same fight, toughness, and grit defensively,” Santos said. “There [are] things we got to make sure we’re shoring up on the defensive end, but I thought we got better today.”
That game will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 5 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN+.
Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics/Stephen Gorchov
