Trenton, N.J. – Stockton University (0-1) opened its eight-game abbreviated 2021 season with a 65-54 setback in a road game at The College of New Jersey (1-0). The game, and the Osprey men's contest versus the Lions, were the first Stockton intercollegiate athletic events in 330 days due to COVID-19.
In her college debut, freshman
Adriyana Jennings (Camden/Winslow Twp.) led the Ospreys with a team-high 14 points.
Ionyonia Alves (Mays Landing/Oakcrest) also reached double figures with 10 points. Jennings and Alves shot a combined 11-22 (50%) from the floor.
Junior-college transfer
Nalya Hill (Bloomfield/DePaul Catholic) tallied a team-high eight rebounds and scored seven points in her first game as an Osprey.
Maddie McCracken (Wildwood/Wildwood) contributed seven points and a career-high seven boards.
Jennings and McCracken each sank a three-pointer in the first quarter, with McCracken's trey in the final seconds pulling Stockton within 16-12. The Ospreys fell behind 27-20 in the second stanza before two buckets by Alves and a Hill free throw made it 27-25. TCNJ answered the five-point burst with a late basket for a 29-25 count at the half.
Stockton struggled to find the mark in the third quarter, shooting just 3-16 (18.8%) from the field. One basket apiece by Jennings, Alves and
Emily Donzanti (Toms River/TR South) accounted for all of the Osprey points in the period, resulting in a 47-31 deficit.
Jennings poured in nine markers in the fourth quarter but Stockton could get not closer than 11 points. The Ospreys shot 45.5 percent from the floor (10-22) and outscored the Lions 23-18 in the period as both teams went deep to their benches.
All 11 Stockton players who were in uniform saw action on the night as the teams took the court for the first time in nearly a year, with TCNJ prevailing 65-54.
Julia Setaro led all scorers with 24 points for the Lions. Elle Cimullica added 16 points followed by Shannon Devitt with 12 counters plus game highs of nine rebounds and five blocks.
Stockton and TCNJ will complete the home-and-home set tomorrow, with the Ospreys hosting. Tip-off is at 4 p.m.
