EASTON, Pa. – The Lafayette College women's basketball team defeated NJIT Saturday afternoon, 71-64, for its second-straight win.
 
The Leopards were led by junior Jessica Booth and sophomore Makayla Andrews who each totaled a career-high 20 points.
 
Lafayette (3-5, 0-0 PL) opened up the game on a 6-0 run before a Leopard foul sent NJIT (4-5, 0-0 American East) to the line for two. The Highlander made both extra shots to put them on the board and bring the score to 6-2. Lafayette then jumped out to a 9-4 lead before NJIT put in back-to-back three pointers to take the lead 10-9.
 
Andrews recorded a layup to put the Leopards back out in front 11-10 with 5:08 left to play in the first quarter. The two sides traded points until back-to-back baskets by Booth put the Leopards up by four, 17-13. They then push out their lead to 23-17 heading into the second quarter.
 
Andrews started off by putting in a shot from beyond the arc less than 20 seconds in the second quarter to put Lafayette up 26-17. The Leopards eventually used that momentum to push their lead out to 12.
 
NJIT responded with a layup to pull within 10, with the score 31-21 in favor of the Maroon and White. Senior Makaila Wilson and sophomore Makayla Andrews combined for back-to-back buckets to push the Leopards lead out to 15, marking their largest lead of the game, with 6:38 left in the first half.
 
The Highlanders stormed back, outscoring the Leopards 10-2 in the final minutes to send the game into halftime with Lafayette leading 38-31.
 
The Leopards took another 10-point lead, 43-33, three minutes into the third quarter but NJIT once again tried to mount a comeback to pull within seven, 47-40, with 3:33 left to play in the third quarter.
 
The Highlanders drew a foul and made both of their extra shots to pull with five. The  Leopards drilled a shot from beyond the arc run the score to 55-49 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
With 3:43 left to play in the game, NJIT put in a layup to pull within three of Lafayette. Andrews and Booth then netted back-to-back jumpers to put the Leopards back out by seven, 67-60.
 
The Highlanders pulled within four after drawing a foul and making both extra shots, but senior Nicole Johnson put in the Leopards' final three points of the afternoon to give the Maroon and White the 71-64 victory.  
 
For NJIT, Lyzi Litwinko joined Booth and Andrews, recording 20 points while Ellyn Stoll added 15.
 
Next up for the Leopards is a mid-week test on Thursday in Baltimore, Md., against UMBC at 5:30 p.m.