Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (15-11) finished their 2023-24 season on a sour note as the Ospreys fell to Ramapo College (16-10) 63-52 in the first round of the NJAC Tournament on Saturday afternoon. Emma Morrone (Maywood/Hackensack) led the Ospreys with 11 points.
 
The game started evenly with the Ospreys managing a 14-13 lead after one period. Stockton used a balanced offense with six players hitting the scoring column to forge the one point advantage.
 
The home team began the second frame maintaining the margin at 17-15, until the 8:10 mark when the Roadrunners ran off 11 straight points over a span 3:49 of the period to take a 26-17 lead. Stockton closed to within four at 28-24 with under a minute to play in the half. Ramapo was able to tally the last four points of the period to lead 32-24 at the half.
 
The visitors kept the pressure on in the third stanza as Stockton could not find the range from the floor. The Ospreys were able to make just 4-15 (26.7%), while the Roadrunners scored 18 points to extend the advantage to 50-36 after three frames. Skylar Fowlkes (Vineland/Vineland) scored seven markers during the frame to keep Stockton close.
 
The Ospreys picked up the pace in the final quarter, scoring the first five markers to close to within single digits since the first half at 50-41. Katie Rausch (Monmouth Junction/South Brunswick), with a three pointer, pushed the Ospreys closer at 56-49 with 2:17 to play, but that would be as close as Stockton would come.
 
Ramapo was able to finish the contest at the foul line, making 7-10 from the charity stripe in the final period, taking the 63-52 victory.
 
Morrone, a senior, ended her career on a strong note adding five rebounds plus game highs of five steals and four assists in the contest. Fowlkes chipped in with 10 points, all in the second half, with team highs of eight rebounds and two blocks. Grace Speer (Estell Manor/ACIT) contributed nine points and Rausch finished with eight markers.
 
Jada Thompson led the Roadrunners with a double-double with game-highs of 22 points and 13 rebounds to go with four steals. Jackie Ventricelli and Olivia Johnstone added 10 points each.
 
The Ospreys ended the season with their highest finish in league play since 2017-18 when they qualified third for the NJAC Tournament. Stockton's 15 victories were their highest win total since the same season when Stockton won 18 games and advanced to the NJAC semifinals.

The Ospreys were ranked eighth in the NJAC preseason coaches poll, however they were the surprise of the league, spending a large chunk of the season in first place in the conference standings.