Hempstead, NY – Despite an explosive start and an eight-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Hofstra women's basketball team suffered a 59-54 defeat at home to tri-state foe Monmouth on Friday from the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.
Chloe Sterling led all players with 20 points – her second 20-point outing of the season – on 7-12 from the floor and a perfect 5-5 from the free throw line, and she matched a career-high in assists with six. Meanwhile,
Sandra Magolico recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds, plus a career-high five steals, two assists, and a block, and
Nevaeh Brown contributed six points and five rebounds off the bench.
Magolico and Madalena Amaro traded opening baskets for both sides, but it was all Hofstra in the first quarter, as the Pride held Monmouth scoreless from the 8:04 mark until 20 seconds remained in the opening frame. Hofstra outscored the Hawks 18-4 in the first quarter, including a run of 16 unanswered points thanks to six points from Magolico, four from
Ayen Angoi, three from Sterling, and three from
Emma Von Essen as the Pride kept Monmouth off the scoreboard for seven minutes and 44 seconds until GiGi Gamble ended the scoring drought with 20 seconds left in the quarter. Magolico scored her eighth point of the night right before the buzzer sounded for the 14-point first quarter lead.
Monmouth flipped the script on the Pride to open the second quarter, scoring the first six points of the action before
Alarice Gooden connected on a midrange jumper at 7:44 to give Hofstra a 10-point lead, but Monmouth kept up the scoring with another 6-0 rally to cut the home lead to just two points with 5:29 remaining in the quarter. Sterling converted a pair of free throws to end the scoreless rut before connecting on a jumper at 2:47 to put the difference at six. A third 6-0 Monmouth rally tied the score at 24-24, but
Nevaeh Brown knocked down a step-back jumper to give Hofstra a two-point cushion at halftime.
Monmouth took its first lead of the night 14 seconds into the third quarter on a three-pointer from Ella Farrelly, but Sterling retook the lead for the home side with a layup on the next possession, and another layup from the senior guard plus a Magolico second chance basket put the Pride ahead by five before the media timeout at 7:59. Hofstra came out of the break to score six of the next eight points to build a nine-point lead with 5:14 to go in the quarter before Monmouth rattled off the next seven points to cut the deficit to two with 3:01 to play. Brown ended the Hawk run with a layup on a second chance opportunity, and Hofstra scored five of the final six points of the quarter, capped off with a three from Sterling 69 seconds before the quarter ended, to put the Pride on top 45-37 going into the fourth quarter.
Monmouth opened the final quarter on a 13-1 run lasting just under six minutes to take a four-point lead, holding Hofstra without a field goal until
Micaela Carter scored a midrange jumper to make it a two-point game with 2:54 left in regulation. A free throw and a layup by Alexis Andrews gave Monmouth a five-point lead with 1:05 to play, but Gooden cut the difference to three with a layup of her own. However, Monmouth went 6-6 on its next three trips to the free throw line, canceling out a layup by Sterling with 27 seconds left, to see out the result.
Gamble was Monmouth's leading scorer with 16 points, followed by 11 points from Andrews.
Hofstra returns to the Mack Sports Complex on Sunday, February 8, at 2 p.m. against Hampton.
NOTES:
-Hofstra outshot Monmouth 46.0% (23-50) to 40.4% (21-52).
-Sterling's six assists matches her previous high set against Jacksonville on November 30, 2024.
-Eight of Magolico's nine double-digit rebounding performances have come against CAA competition.
-With a three against Monmouth, Von Essen now has 225 for her career. She moves five away from tying and six from passing Jen Brickey (230, 1999-03) for second-most in program history.
-Hofstra is now 7-11 all-time against Monmouth.
