COYLE, HOLMES LEAD COUGARS TO VICTORY AT GOLDEY-BEACOM

WILMINGTON, Del. - Junior guard Shannon Coyle (Matawan, NJ/St. John Vianney) scored a game-high 18 points and sophomore guard Phylicia Holmes (Roselle, NJ/Roselle), right, grabbed 15 rebounds as the Caldwell College women's basketball team defeated Goldey-Beacom College, 62-52 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday afternoon. The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for the Cougars, who improved to 6-14 overall and 6-11 in the CACC. The Lightning dropped to 5-15 on the season, including a 5-12 conference record.

Sophomore forward Dana Leary (Bridgewater, NJ/Immaculata) helped the Cougars start the game strong, scoring six points in an 8-0 run to open the game. The lead grew to 11 points after Coyle's three-pointer put Caldwell ahead 15-4 with 15:31 left in the first half. The Lightning battled back to work the deficit down to two points on three occasions, with a pair of free throws by April Yanacek making the score 29-27 at the 2:11 mark. But Caldwell scored the final five points of the half to take a 34-27 advantage into the break. Leary scored nine points and Yanacek had 11 in the first half to lead their teams.

Coyle hit another three-pointer for the first points of the second half, followed by baskets from Leary and sophomore forward Melissa Freeman (Cresskill, NJ/Cresskill) that gave the Cougars their largest lead of the game, 41-27, with 16:33 left in the game. With the Lightning behind 43-31 at the 14:35 mark, a three-pointer from Toni Jones sparked a 12-2 spree that pulled Goldey-Beacom to within two, 45-43 with just under nine minutes to go. Although freshman forward Janay Prim (Ansonia, CT/Kolbe Cathedral) answered for Caldwell with four straight points, the Lightning eventually tied the game at 52-52 on a pair of Kim Rowley free throws with 4:37 on the clock.

On the Cougars' next possession, Freeman made a lay-up to restore the Caldwell lead, then stole a pass that resulted in another three by Coyle (left). The Cougars made 5-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch while not allowing a field goal in the final five minutes of the game to clinch the win and earn a season sweep of the Lightning. Goldey-Beacom was 0-of-8 from the floor and turned the ball over twice after tying the game.

Coyle's four baskets came from three-point range, and she made all six of her attempts from the charity stripe. Holmes' 15 boards marked the fourth straight game she has reached double figures in rebounding, helping the Cougars out-rebound the Lightning 50-38. She also led the team with four assists. Prim tallied a career-high 12 points, Freeman finished with 11 points and 10 boards for her second straight double-double, and Leary added 11 points. Jones tallied 15 points and seven rebounds, and Rowley recorded a double-double with 10 points and 16 boards for Goldey-Beacom.

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