New Rochelle, NY, February 8, 2021 – Freshman Maria Negron (Bronx, New York) rewrote the program record books hauling down career-high 24 rebounds, a new single-game program record propelling the Monroe Express women's basketball team to a 59-52 victory over Region 15 opponent Nassau Community College on Tuesday night in Garden City, New York. The Express's fourth straight win improves their record to 17-7 overall (5-0 Region XV) while the Lions drop to 5-4 (4-3 Region XV).

Negron put up her first career double-double with a game-high 24 rebounds and 11 points, which also tied a team-high. She passed Julie Trowers's previous record of 23 rebounds, which she set against Rockland Community College on November 17, 2018.

Freshman Nyeira Spady (New Rochelle, New York) also had a team-best tied 11 points, while sophomore Tariah Bryant (Brooklyn, New York) added 10 points in the contest. Bryant also led the team in assists and steals in the contest dishing out five each while Spady, Negron, and Ramatoulaye Diallo (Brooklyn, New York) all swatted away a team-high two shots each.
 
Monroe-Bronx dominated the glass outrebounding Nassau Community College 58-28 and outscored them in the paint 34-14.
 
The first half was a seesaw of momentum between the two squads. After the Lions opened the scoring at 8:47 on a Frances Brown layup, the Express jumped all over them, unloading for an 18-0 run tying it at two on a Negron jumper at 8:26, and holding them 0-for-15 from the field to lead by 16, 18-2 after one. Nassau Community College would flip the script in the second quarter roaring back with a 21-5 run over the first seven and a half minutes to tie it at 23 on a pair of Frances Brown free throws at 2:27. Monroe-Bronx scored the last four points to go into halftime with a 27-23 lead.
 
Three and a half minutes into the third quarter Nassau Community College got a three-pointer from Ashley Vigliotti to cut the deficit to three, 29-26, before the Express used a 9-2 run to stretch their lead to double-digits 11, 39-28 when Shashauna Ballantyne (Brooklyn, New York) 1-for-2 from the free-throw line at 4:08. They would increase it to 14, 46-32 on a Negron layup with nine seconds left going into the final quarter of play. Monroe-Bronx increased the margin to its largest mark 21, 57-36 with 3:45 remaining in the fourth quarter on a Bryant jumper and fought off a late Nassau rally to win the contest 59-52.
 
For Nassau Community College, two players finished the game in double figures, with Ashley Vigliotti leading the way with 19 points while Gemma Pohalski contributed 15 points. Frances Brown led all rebounders with nine, and Mia Weinschreider snagged a game-high seven steals and denied a game-best tied two shots.  
 
The Express look to extend their four-game winning streak going at home Saturday, February 12, against rival Bronx Community College at the Monroe Athletic Complex. For more information, please visit the Monroe Express Women's Basketball Schedule Page.


ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 36 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, the Monroe College marching band, and the newly added esports program, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 17 teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Express, please visit us at www.MonroeExpress.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe Express), Twitter (@MonroeExpress), and Instagram (@MonroeExpress).