ROCHESTER, MN – Following their matchup against #5 Minnesota West, #4 Express women's basketball entered the consolation bracket Friday afternoon, in a stint against the #9 seed Anoka-Ramsey Golden Rams, with an opportunity to reach the 5th place in the tournament. Monroe ultimately fell short in the ball game, falling to the Rams, 68-61, bringing their historical season to an end. 

Although their season has ended, head coach Jeremy Thompson had high praise for his team:

"We came up short out here, and we had two tough losses, but that will never change the success this team had this year beating some of the top teams in the country, and playing the most grueling schedule possible. One thing that remains different about us, is we were never scared of the challenge, and our kids are winners. They have proven it on and off the court."

Following the Action

• Janay Legagneur got the Express on the board with a strong and-one layup, followed by a Maria Negron swat to an Aleah James layup to put the Express in front.
• Both squads went scoreless for two minutes, until Ariella Johnson stripped Amya Simmons and finished on the other end to tie the game. Legagneur then commenced a personal 5-0 run, to give Monroe a six point lead, their largest of the game.
• With the Express leading 20-16, Anoka-Ramsey began to heat up from outside, with a flurry of 3-pointers by Cece Bell and Janea Arnoldi to put the Golden Rams up by four. Nyeira Spady would hit a jumpshot to keep Monroe in it, but Anoka-Ramsey would end the half on a 9-1 run, leading 35-25 going into the intermission.
• Trailing by double figures going to open the third period, the Express would go on a 10-0 run in just the first two minutes of the stanza to even the count at 35, capped off by a Sierra Jones jumper.
• After trailing for much of the first half, the Express regained the lead, 40-38, after Legagneur called her own number from downtown, her second of the contest.
• Today's contest was a back and forth affair, as a Bell layup sparked a 10-0 run for Anoka-Ramsey. Ariella Johnson would not be denied, scoring two last minute buckets to shrink the deficit to six.
• The Express found themselves in a 12 point hole after another Arnoldi 3-pointer and Bell layup, but James knocked down a huge long ball, trimming the lead to single digits.
• Anoka-Ramsey would keep Monroe at bay, before a big time James 3-pointer cut the lead to only four at the 39 second mark.
• The Express would miss a 3-pointer to make it a one possession game, and the Golden Rams would connect on their free throws, settling the 68-61 final.

Inside the Box Score

Legagneur led the Express in scoring with 22 points, along with five rebounds, two steals, one assist and one block. James followed with 17 points, seven rebounds and two steals. Ariella Johnson registered nine points, six rebounds, a game-high four steals and one assist. Maria Negron grabbed seven rebounds, while Jones had six.

The Express conclude their season with a 24-7 regular season record, going 14-0 in Region 15 action, capturing the Region 15 Championship in consecutive seasons and clinching the Northeast district. Monroe's historic season is capped off by a 7th place finish in the NJCAA DIII National Championship tournament, where they captured the #4 seed, receiving a bye in the first round.

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 35 teams competing across nine sports. There are 21 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 and men's volleyball programs, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 14 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).