WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- Long Island University held Monmouth to 26 second half points to come away from Boylan Gym with a 64-50 victory on Wednesday night.

Despite opening the second half with just a two point lead, LIU went on an 11-2 run over the first four minutes to take control of the game.  Marisa Jimenez (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) stopped the bleeding to get the Hawks to within nine.  With 12 minutes to go in regulation, LIU held a 39-29 lead but Monmouth rattled off four unanswered points to cut the lead to six.  Over the next three minutes the Blackbirds went up 11, their largest lead of the game before Veronica Randolph (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Deerfield Beach) hit two free throws to get the Hawks to 44-35. 

Monmouth tried to get back into the game, playing well offensively down the stretch, but the Hawk defense could not stop the LIU attack, with the Blackbirds retaining a double-digit lead for the better part of the frame.  The Blue and White could not overcome the early LIU lead, as the Hawks eventually fell, 64-50.

The Hawks started up the first five minutes of the game with a 6-2, four of which came from Lindsay Zegowitz (Damascus, Md./Damascus).  Two straight shots by the Blackbirds tied the game going into the first media timeout.  Long Island took its first lead of the game on a pair of xx free throws.  With the Hawks trailing 10-8, Jennifer Bender (Staten Island, N.J./Staten Island Tech) was fouled on a successful layup and gave the Hawks a 11-10 lead after she hit the free throw.  LIU's 11 hit a three just a minute later to retake the lead for the Blackbirds but Nyaimah Ware (Washington, D.C./Dunbar) answered with a jumper to knot the game at 13-13.  The two teams traded buckets and the lead until LIU scored seven straight points to take a 20-15 lead with 5:31 left in the half.  Brooke McElroy (Chesterfield, Va./Thomas Dale) cut the lead to a pair after hitting a big three for Monmouth which Brianne Edwards (Bloomfield Conn./Suffield) followed up two possessions later with a layup to tie the game once again.  At the half, LIU held a slight edge, 26-24.

The Blackbirds had four players in double digit scoring, including Valerie Nainima's game-high 14 points.  Connie James led all rebounders with 11 baords in the contest.

Lakia Barber led the Hawks, who now fall to 7-5 (1-1 NEC), with eight points in the game.  Randolph and Lakia Barber (Clinton, Md./Gwynn Park) finished with a seven rebounds each for Monmouth.  Ware also chipped in seven points.

Monmouth shot just 32 percent in the game, which saw the two teams combine for 50 fouls.  The Hawks committed 16 turnovers, compared to LIU's 12. 

The Hawks are back at home on Saturday Jan. 6, when they host Mount Saint Mary's at 3 p.m.