CALDWELL, N.J. - Center Megan Bauer tallied 29 points and 17 rebounds to lead Holy Family over Caldwell College, 61-47 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference women's basketball game Thursday evening at the George R. Newman Center. The defeat dropped the Cougars to 1-4 overall and in the CACC, while Holy Family won its fifth straight to improve to 5-1 overall, including a 4-0 mark in the conference.
The Cougars got off to a good start against the defending CACC champions, opening the game with a 12-4 run sparked by six points from junior guard Shannon Coyle (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney). But the Tigers responded with 10 straight points to take a 14-12 lead midway through the first half. The rest of the half remained close, with five ties and five lead changes before the break. A lay-up by sophomore forward Dana Leary (Bridgewater, NJ/Immaculata) put the Cougars up 26-24 at the three-minute mark, only to have Lindsay Sock tie the game for the Tigers. Neither team scored over the final 2:25 as the score remained tied 26-26 at halftime.
Bauer made a pair of free throws at the start of the second half to give Holy Family a two-point lead. Leary tied the game with a lay-up, then junior forward Amy Gaudious (Long Branch, NJ/Long Branch) made a steal and scored to put Caldwell up 30-28 with 18:52 left. Bauer scored the next six points to regain the advantage for the Tigers, 34-30. After junior guard Becky Piper (Farmingdale, NJ/Colts Neck) converted a lay-up to cut the lead to 34-32, Holy Family went on a 10-0 run to take control of the game at 44-32 with 8:42 remaining. The Cougars came within six points three times but would get no closer as the Tigers closed out their fifth straight victory.
Sophomore guard Phylicia Holmes (Roselle, NJ/Roselle), pictured, snared a career-high 16 rebounds, including six on the offensive glass, to go with eight points for Caldwell. Leary finished with a team-best 12 points, and sophomore forward Melissa Freeman (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) tallied a double-double with 10 points and 10 boards. Bauer went 11-of-18 from the floor en route to scoring nearly half of Holy Family's points in the win. Chrissy Kosiek added 10 points and four steals.
The Cougars return to the court on Saturday, Dec. 10, when they host Wilmington College in another CACC game. Game-time is set for 6:00 p.m. at the Newman Center.
