CALDWELL, N.J. - Sophomore Gabrielle Miskinis scored a game-high 17 points as Bloomsburg University defeated Caldwell College 64-49 in a non-conference women's basketball game Sunday afternoon at the George R. Newman Center. The loss drops the Cougars to 0-3 on the season, while the Huskies are now 2-1.
The game remained tight throughout the first half, as neither team led by more than six points. The Cougars took an early 9-7 lead after sophomore guard Jenn Murray (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) drained a three-pointer three minutes, 35 seconds into the game. But Bloomsburg countered with a three from Kelly Burkhart, and the Huskies would never trail again. Bloomsburg's lead reached six points three times during the half, including a 32-26 advantage with 2:51 on the clock. A conventional three-point play by freshman guard Corrie McIntyre (Highland Park, NJ/Highland Park Regional) and a pair of free throws by Murray cut the lead to 32-31 with 1:54 left in the half. But Bloomsburg scored the final five points in the half to take a 37-31 lead into the locker room.
The Huskies jumped out to an 11-point lead with just under 16 minutes to go in the second half, with senior Tiffany Metzler scoring six points in an 8-3 run. After five straight points by sophomore guard Shannon Coyle (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) cut the lead to eight, Bloomsburg went on a 10-1 run to increase its lead to 57-40 with 8:35 remaining to effectively put the game out of reach. Freshman Kim Dodson scored six points during that stretch, while the Cougars missed 10 straight field goal attempts. Coyle's lay-up with 7:12 left broke the drought and got the Cougars to within 15, but they would get no closer.
Coyle led Caldwell with 13 points and three steals, while Murray collected 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds. The Cougars shot 29.8 percent from the field for the game, while Bloomsburg shot 40.6 percent and out-rebounded Caldwell 47-37.
The Cougars return to action on Thursday, Dec. 2, when they open the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference season at Nyack College. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
