NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Junior forward Joy Adams scored 23 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out four assists and picked up four steals as the Iona College women's basketball team defeated Monmouth 71-58 Friday evening in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Hynes Athletics Center.

Junior guard Aaliyah Robinson scored 17 points, with five three-pointers, and grabbed nine rebounds. Battling foul trouble, senior guard Damika Martinez scored 14 points, while sophomore guard Marina Lizarazu contributed a game-high 11 assists. Overall, the Maroon & Gold recorded 23 assists on 30 made baskets.

The Gaels never trailed in the contest, scoring the game's first five points in less than a minute of action. With the Maroon & Gold ahead 13-4 with 15:06 left in the first period, the Hawks trimmed the deficit, to four, 17-13, with a 9-4 charge of their own.

Leading 21-18, Iona ended the first period with a 22-2 surge as a layup by Martinez with 38 seconds remaining gave the Gaels a 43-20 lead at the break.

Out of the intermission, Monmouth responded with a 16-4 run, cutting the lead to 47-36 on a three-pointer by Mia Hopkins with 12:51 remaining. After the Maroon & Gold got back ahead by 16, 52-36, the Hawks cut the deficit to single digits with a 14-7 surge.

Leading 59-50, Iona put the game away by tallying 11 of the game's next 13 points as a jumper by Martinez with 3:31 remaining gave the Gaels a 70-52 cushion.

Monmouth was led by Hopkins, who scored 14 points, while Jasmine Walker registered 13 points. The Gaels are back in action Sunday afternoon, when they welcome Canisius to the Hynes Center for a 2:00 pm tipoff.