NEWARK, NJ – Sophomore guard
Samantha Grippo had 16 points to lead a balanced Rutgers-Newark offense which powered the Scarlet Raiders to a 65-42 win over Purchase College in The Golden Dome.
Rutgers-Newark 65, Purchase 42
For the first time this season, the Raiders (8-15) saw all nine players score in a contest as Rutgers-Newark snapped an 8-game losing streak. The Panthers (11-13) fell for the second straight time.
Grippo, who made six of seven shots from the floor and both tries from 3-point range, netted nine points in the opening half when Rutgers-Newark shot 51.7% from the field to construct a 39-22 advantage. A Grippo trey pushed the lead to 60-33 with 9:38 left in the second half.
Sophomore guard
Jared Tactuk had 14 points, three assists and three steals while junior guard
Martyna Ruminska added 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Freshman point guard
Kristen Venning made a game-high six steals, dished off four assists and scored four points.
Senior center
Courtney Vacca had game-highs of 11 rebounds and five assists while adding nine points.
Senior guard Jessie Domes and senior forward Shayla Diaz netted 11 points apiece for the Panthers while senior center Liila Mack and junior forward Amanda Capone chipped in eight each.
Mack had seven rebounds and Diaz, five as Purchase forged a narrow 39-38 edge in rebounding. Domes hit three of seven shots from 3-point range to help the Panthers connected on six of 18 treys.
But, Tactuk sank four of eight 3-point attempts to buoy the Raiders’ total from beyond the arc to nine for 24.
Rutgers-Newark hosts William Paterson on Monday in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader in The Golden Dome. It will be Senior Night for Vacca and six Raider men’s players.