LOWELL, Mass. (Interstat) — The NJIT Highlanders used a dominant first quarter and a balanced scoring attack to secure a 69-60 victory over the Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks in an America East Conference women’s basketball game Thursday night at Costello Athletic Center.

The Highlanders, who improved to 14-9 overall, seized control from the opening tip, racing to a 17-9 lead after the first period. They never trailed, building a cushion that withstood several River Hawk rallies. The win completed a regular-season sweep for NJIT, which also defeated Massachusetts-Lowell 68-57 on Jan. 15.

NJIT’s early surge was fueled by efficient offense and stifling defense. The Highlanders opened the game on a 6-0 run, capped by an Olivia Kulyk 3-pointer just 39 seconds into play. They held the River Hawks to just three field goals in the first quarter while forcing five turnovers, setting a defensive tone that persisted.

Alejandra Zuniga led all scorers with 20 points for NJIT, adding five assists. Olivia Kulyk contributed 19 points, and Mackenzie Wright-Rawls provided a crucial spark off the bench with 10 points. Allison Cannon orchestrated the offense with a game-high nine assists to go with eight points and three blocks.

For Massachusetts-Lowell, which fell to 6-17, Jaini Edmonds fought through a tough shooting night to finish with a team-high 21 points and six assists. Nia Chima added 12 points and Sabrina Larsson scored 13, but the River Hawks struggled mightily from beyond the arc, connecting on just 5 of 24 attempts.

The most critical phase of the game came in the second quarter when Massachusetts-Lowell mounted its most serious challenge. After trailing by as many as 11 points, the River Hawks used a 14-4 run, fueled by Edmonds and Chima, to cut the deficit to 21-20 with 6:36 remaining in the half. The surge energized the home crowd of 138 and threatened to undo NJIT’s strong start.

NJIT, however, responded with immediate composure. The Highlanders closed the quarter on an 11-9 run, keyed by a driving layup from Allison Cannon and a critical 3-pointer from Ava Locklear with 2:57 left. This stretch allowed NJIT to take a 33-29 lead into halftime, re-establishing a two-possession buffer and halting the River Hawks’ momentum.

The Highlanders then opened the third quarter with a 7-2 spurt, pushing their lead back to nine points and forcing a Massachusetts-Lowell timeout. While the River Hawks would close within four points on two occasions in the fourth quarter, they could never get any closer. Each time, NJIT answered, often through Zuniga, who scored eight of her points in the final period.

Statistical disparities told the story of NJIT’s control. The Highlanders shot 47.3% from the field compared to Massachusetts-Lowell’s 36.1%. NJIT also outshot the River Hawks from 3-point range, making 8 of 19 attempts. Defensively, NJIT recorded six blocks and limited Massachusetts-Lowell to an offensive rating of 87.5 points per 100 possessions.

Despite committing 15 turnovers, which Massachusetts-Lowell converted into 12 points, NJIT’s offensive execution in the half-court and its interior defense proved decisive. The Highlanders scored 28 points in the paint and held a slight rebounding edge.

The victory keeps NJIT in the upper tier of the America East standings as it heads into a road contest at Binghamton on Saturday. Massachusetts-Lowell will look to regroup at home against Albany on the same day.