WILKES-BARRE, PA (January 15, 2022) -- Senior Samantha Rajza and junior Emily Morano combined for 49 of the Monarchs 79 points as they led the King's College women's basketball team to a 79-66 win in Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom) play on Saturday afternoon. The Monarchs improve to 9-6 overall, 4-3 in the MAC Freedom, while Arcadia drops to 4-10 and 2-4 against conference foes.

Both teams came out with a slow start with King's (9-6, 4-3 MAC Freedom) ahead, 13-8, after one quarter of play. The pace picked up in the second as the Monarchs opened with an 11-4 run to build a 13-point lead, 25-12, on a three by Rajza in transition with 6:28 left in the half. King's led by as much as 17, 32-15, off a steal and basket from Morano with 3:37 to go before the break, but Arcadia 4-10 (4-4 MAC Freedom) climbed back to within 11, 34-21, into halftime.

The Monarchs lead swelled to as much as 18, 39-21, on another three from Rajza after a steal from sophomore Kiersten Krouse with eight minutes to go in the third, but the Knights would not allow the hosts to run away with the contest as King's continued to lead, 55-41, after three quarters of play.

Arcadia pulled within seven, 60-53, on a layup from Kylie Meredith with 7:00 left on the game clock, but a transition bucket form Rajza and a three from first year Alli Lindsay on back-to-back plays rebuilt the King's lead, 65-53. The Knights got within six again with 3:26 to play, but the Monarchs answered again with baskets from Rajza and Morano on consecutive trips down the court. King's held off all attempts from the visitors to inch within single digits again as the Monarchs secured the home MAC Freedom win, 79-66.

Morano led the Monarchs with 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting, adding a team-high eight boards, three assists, two steals, and a block. Rajza poured in 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting with three threes, adding four boards, a career-high four blocks, two steals, and an assist. Senior Emily Kriston dished out three helpers with eight points and four caroms, while Lindsay and sophomore Caileigh Costello each added eight points. Additionally, Krouse tallied a team-high four assists with five points and two steals in the win.

Julia Makowski recorded the 1,000^th point of her career in the loss, recording a double-double with game-high 30 points and 11 boards and adding two assists in the complete 40-minute game.

King's shot an efficient 50 percent from the field with 14 assists. The Monarchs held the advantage in the turnover margin, forcing 16 Arcadia turnovers and collecting eight steals. Their defense also held the Knights to just 26.7 percent (4-of-15) from beyond the arc.

Inside the box score, King's won the battle in points off turnovers (21-11), second chance points (134-12), bench points (9-4), points in the paint (38-30), and fast break points (21-2).

The Monarchs are back in MAC Freedom play in McGrane Gymnasium on Wednesday, January 19 as they host cross-town rival Wilkes University with a 6:00 p.m. tip off.