Seeking their third dominant win in a row, Rowan women’s basketball did just that by defeating Rutgers-Camden by a score of 78-44 on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at Esbjornson Gymnasium in Glassboro. This is the third game in a row in which they beat a team by 30 points or more.

The game didn’t start off that well for Rowan, as the Scarlet Raptors ended up leading by a score of 14-13 after the first quarter of play.

“We knew they [were] gonna come in prepared and give us a game,” said head coach Kate Pearson.

Rowan was able to utilize their height advantage for much of the first quarter, with Charlotte Carlies scoring the initial six points for Rowan, keeping the score close for much of the early frame.

“There is an emphasis to move the ball in and out,” Carlies said. “We want to move the ball. [Kate Pearson] puts an emphasis that I get a touch on the ball because I draw a lot of attention.”

Carlies has seen an increased role this season, especially with the graduation of Eliana Santana.

“In the beginning of the season, I was not that confident,” Carlies said. “Last year, I was not as dominant in the paint because I was always looking for Eliana [Santana], but this year, being 4-2 now, I think it was a big confidence boost.”

The Profs’ second quarter was much better. With her birthday being tomorrow, Herlihy decided to give herself an early birthday gift by taking over the game during this quarter, scoring nine points.

“I feel like the first quarter we came out a little slow and let them be in the game,” Herlihy said. “That should not have happened. I feel like in the second quarter we were able to snap in. I think somebody needed to start it. I just decided to drive.”

She also showed off her abilities as a passer. There was one play where Kristina Johnson was open for three during a fast break, and Herlihy dished the ball to her on the break.

“It is literally the best,” Herlihy said. “We practice it all the time, but in a game, it is even better. I know she is gonna always catch my pass and knock down the shot.”

The third quarter was when the Profs were able to put the game out of reach. Carlies is one of the main reasons why the Rowan defense works so well. It allows players like Herlihy to get steals because she knows that Carlies will be behind her.

“It is the best having her back there,” Herlihy said. “I know if I was somebody on the other team, I would not want to go against her. It makes me feel more confident to be able to gamble when someone has my back.”

Carlies, on the other hand, has been loving what she has been seeing out of her perimeter defenders.

“They are definitely, they love to gamble,” Carlies said. “They want to get the ball, and they are not afraid to foul. They play with no fear.”

Rowan’s third quarter is what truly ended any hope of a Rutgers-Camden comeback. The Profs outscored the Scarlet Raptors 29-8 throughout the frame. The three-point shooting and the defense, once again, showed up in this quarter. Those two things have been big keys to this win streak.

Herlihy, Jess McLaughlin, and Carlies were the team’s three leading scorers, with each scoring 16, 12, and 11 points, respectively. The team got all-around strong games from a lot of their players.

“It is good for the team. They are seeing their hard work pay off,” Pearson said. “They are putting their trust in one another and being rewarded with productivity out of a lot of different people.”

Twelve Profs were able to put points on the board this game. Each one was able to have an impact on the game. Sabrina Araujo got fouled on a three-point attempt, then hit all three free-throws, and followed that by hitting a three-pointer for the team’s next basket. Another example is a player like freshman Lily Bross, who scored a career-high eight points in 13 minutes.

“We are working the ball, and everyone is getting a touch,” Carlies said. “Everyone is touching the ball. We have a lot of different pieces. They all have strengths and weaknesses. We are all cooperating well with each other. If one person is not doing well, then someone else will step up.”

With two road New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) games coming up, Herlihy knows what she wants to see before the team returns home.

“I wanna see wins, wins, wins,” Herlihy said. “I want to see road wins because we know we can [win] at home. We always have so much energy at home. These are good teams we are playing on the road, so I want to see us carry over our energy.”

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