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Pictured Above: Sophomore guard Lyndsay Rowe (Photo by Dave Saffran)

Staten Island, NY – Slowed in the second half by a combination of accumulating foul trouble and cold shooting, the Wagner women's basketball team dropped an 82-59 decision to Monmouth at the Spiro Sports Center tonight, as the Hawks pulled away in a game that was tied 30-30 at halftime.
 
With the win, Monmouth improves to 3-1 on the season while the Seahawks fall to 0-4.
 
Former Northeast Conference (NEC) rivals until Monmouth began play in the MAAC last season, the Seahawks and Hawks battled to a 30-30 tie at intermission. Just 33 seconds into the second half, however, sophomore guard Jasmine Nwajei (Rockaway Park, NY/Murry Bergtraum), the 2014 NEC Freshman of the Year and Wagner's leading scorer, was whistled for her third foul.
 
Three seconds later, at the 19:24 mark of the second half, redshirt-junior center Ugo Nwaigwe (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream South) was called for her third foul and then picked up her fourth, 27 seconds after that, at the 18:57 juncture of the second half.
 
With two of Wagner's key cogs on the sideline in foul trouble for long stretches, the Hawks went on a 16-3 tear in opening a 49-36 lead on a pair of Jasmine Walker free throws with 11:09 remaining in the game. The Green & White answered with a 6-2 spurt, capped by a three-pointer by sophomore guard Lyndsay Rowe (South River, NJ/St. John Vianney) at the 9:42 mark that drew the Seahawks to within nine at 51-42.
 
But the Hawks countered with a 12-0 spree in building a commanding 63-42 bulge with 6:07 left and were never headed.
 
Despite being limited to just 17 minutes of action due to the foul difficulty, Nwaigwe managed to post her seventh career double-double and second of the season, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds, both of which were team game-highsand individual season highs
 
Rowe followed her 13-point outing on Tuesday vs. No. 21 Rutgers with a 10-point performance tonight, while freshman Tanasia Russell (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) matched Rowe with 10, marking a career high, to go with three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal during a spirited 14-minute stint.
 
Saddled with foul trouble all evening, which resulted in just 22 minutes of action (seven in the second half), Nwajei was not able to find a rhythm in finishing with nine points, while a still contributing four assists and four rebounds.
 
With Nwajei and Nwaigwe slowed by foul trouble all evening, the Hawks were able to key on normally explosive junior guard Jordyn Peck (Shaker Heights, OH/Shaker Heights), who was harried into a 1-for-12 shooting night, including a 1-for-9 effort from three-point range while tallying a season-low six points.
 
Helena Kurt led a balanced Monmouth offensive display, finishing with a game-high 14 points, followed by Walker's 13,, while Jenny Horvatinovic and Christina Mitchell added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
 
Wagner's defensive intensity never waned and helped limit the Hawks to 39% shooting but the foul trouble, coupled with a 30% shooting night, proved to be too much for the Seahawks to overcome.
 
The Green & White are right back at it on Sunday, November 30 when the Seahawks travel to Big East member St. John's for a 2:00 pm tip-off in a game that can be seen online on ESPN 3.
 
Follow Wagner Athletics on Twitter (@wagnerathletics) for all the latest news and updates on the athletic department, @Wag_Swagg for news and updates on the women's basketball program.