CALDWELL, N.J. - Sophomore forward Mackenzie Lynch (Wayne, NJ/DePaul Catholic) recorded 20 points and 17 rebounds, but the Caldwell College women's basketball team lost a close Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference battle with Dominican College, 67-63 Monday evening at the George R. Newman Center. The defeat drops the Cougars to 9-12 overall and 7-9 in the conference, while the Chargers capture their seventh win in a row to improve to 15-6, 11-5 CACC.

Dominican jumped out to a 12-3 lead to open the game, only to have Caldwell come back and eventually tie the game at 26-26 with just under four minutes left in the first half. A free throw and a lay-up by junior guard Phylicia Holmes (Roselle, NJ/Roselle) gave the Cougars their first lead, 29-28 with 2:22 to go. Dominican finished the half strong, scoring the final six points of the half to take a 35-31 advantage into the break.

The Chargers maintained the upper hand for most of the second half, leading by as many as eight points. But the Cougars would not go away. Trailing 62-55 with 2:43 to go in the game, Caldwell scored six straight points capped by an offensive rebound and lay-up by junior guard Dana Leary (Bridgewater, NJ/Immaculata), pictured, that made the score 62-61 Dominican with 20 seconds left. The Cougars had an opportunity to tie the game when Dominican's Dana Rotio made 1-of-2 from the line, but a turnover and four successful trips to the line by Rotio sealed the victory for the Chargers.

Caldwell kept the game close despite making just 54.1 percent (20-of-37) from the line compared to 75.0 percent (21-of-28) for Dominican. Neither team shot the ball well from the field, with Dominican making 34.4 percent and Caldwell hitting 33.9 percent from the floor. Lynch's performance marked the 11th time this season that she reached double figures in both points and rebounds. Eight of her game-high 17 boards came on the offensive glass. Holmes (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Leary (10 points, 11 rebounds) also recorded double-doubles for Caldwell, with Holmes adding four steals. Forward Adele Laskowski scored 20 points and Jackie Tracey-Spitaleri added 17 for the Chargers in a winning effort.

The Cougars are back in action on Thursday, Feb. 8, when they play at Georgian Court University in another CACC contest. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Lakewood, N.J.