Brooklyn, N.Y. / WRAC Center-Senior point guard Yohanna Morton (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic / Dominican National Team) scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Robert Morris University women's basketball team to a 62-50 win over Northeast Conference foe Long Island Sunday afternoon. The Colonials improve to 2-5 on the year, and more importantly, 2-0 in conference games while the Blackbirds, who were picked first in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll, slip to 4-3 and 0-1 in NEC games.

Morton went 10-of-15 from the field to tally 22 points along with three rebounds, three assists a block and a steal in 39 minutes of action. Sophomore Mary Durojaye (London, England / English National U-20) added 15 points and senior Kristine Silaraja (Ventspils, Latvia / Barton County C.C.) tacked on 11 and three assists.

Robert Morris opened the game with the first five points as Spanou went to the rack and Morton hit a 10-footer. Long Island eventually mounted a 5-0 run, tying the game at 16 after free throws by Cleandra Roberts and Ashley Palmer with just under seven minutes left in the half.

The Colonials responded with a 7-0 run fueled by five consecutive points from Silaraja. RMU stretched that 23-16 point margin over the last five minutes to 10 points to carry a 30-20 lead into the halftime locker room.

A series of back-and-forth runs characterized the second half. Robert Morris opened on a 9-2 march, taking a 39-22 advantage just 2:30 after the halftime whistle on a Morton layup. Long Island responded with seven unanswered points by Chelsi Johnson to cut the lead back to 10. The Colonials, with five points from Durojaye, got the lead back to 53-35 with just over seven minutes to play.

Another Long Island answer was capitalized by seven consecutive points that saw the lead to shrink to 57-50  when Palmer scored on an assist by Kiara Evans with 2:16 left on the clock. Easy baskets by Morton and Silaraja, however, pushed the lead 12 points as the Colonials held on for a 62-50 win.

The Colonials are off for the next six days before continuing their nine-game, 48-day road trip in Blacksburg, Va. Game time is slated for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 11.