BRONX, N.Y. — A strong defensive showing from the Hofstra women’s basketball team was not enough to win the Pride the game on Friday, Dec. 18, as the Fordham University Rams earned a victory by a score of 72-58 at the Rose Hill Gym.

The Pride did not lead the game at any point, as the Rams jumped ahead to a nine-point lead 5:08 into the first quarter. Hofstra kept it close throughout the first half, but after tying up the game at 21-21 they gave up a 17-6 run to close out the first half trailing 38-27. The game remained in striking distance for the Pride throughout the first five minutes of the second half, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Fordham’s Kendell Heremaia and Anna DeWolfe brought the Rams’ lead to double digits for the remaining 14:21 of the game.

All the scoring for the Pride was handled by their starting five, as all five starters finished with at least nine points scored and four in double digits. JaKayla Brown led the way, scoring 17 points on 8-for-19 shooting while tying Jaylen Hines for a team-high of five rebounds. Hines scored 12 pointes despite a rough shooting night in which she went 4-for-12 from the field, but she finished with a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Jaala Henry and Rosi Nicholson had 10 points each, with Henry adding three assists and Nicholson going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Jahsyni Knight led the way in assists, setting up her teammates en route to seven assists to go with her nine points. Hofstra’s three bench players to enter the game shot a combined 0-for-1.

The Pride reached double digits in steals for the fifth consecutive game this season, and they have forced at least 20 turnovers in all six of their matches thus far. Knight led the way with four steals, followed by Nicholson and Hines with two each and one apiece from Henry, Zhyeima Swint and Vanerlie Valcourt. The Pride also enjoyed a 20-12 advantage in points scored off of turnovers.

3-pointers and free throws hurt the Pride the most, as the Rams shot 11-for-25 from the 3-point line and 11-for-14 from the stripe. DeWolfe put on a show offensively, shooting 11-for-15 from the field and 4-for-6 from three. Heremaia made five 3-pointers while taking more attempts than the entire Hofstra team, as she shot 11 in the game while the Pride finished 4-for-8. She also added nine rebounds, while Kaitlyn Downey led both teams with 10 to offset a poor shooting performance.

The Pride’s record fell to 2-4 with the loss while the Rams improved to 2-1. The Pride will potentially play their next game on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. The team’s previously scheduled game against Mount St. Mary’s University has been cancelled due to a positive COVID-19 test involving the Mountaineers’ program, but the Pride has stated that they are searching for another opponent.

Photo courtesy of Hofstra Athletics