CALDWELL, N.J. - Freshman guard Kaitlyn Lambert (Cumberland, RI/Cumberland) scored a career-high 20 points to lead the Caldwell College women's basketball team to a 72-56 victory over Felician College in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener for both schools Tuesday night at the George R. Newman Center. The win was the first of the season for the Cougars, who are 1-4 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The Golden Falcons drop to 1-5, 0-1 CACC.
Caldwell broke open a close game with a 9-0 run that put the Cougars ahead 33-22 with 2:32 remaining in the first half. Sophomore guard Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) scored six points in the run. Felician tallied the final four points of the half to make the score 33-26 Caldwell at halftime. The Cougars took a lead into the break despite shooting just 27.8 percent from the floor in the game's first 20 minutes.
A three-pointer by Destiny Thompson to open the scoring in the second half cut the Cougars' lead to 33-29. But Caldwell went on an 11-3 spree sparked by four more points from Leedham to grab a 48-36 advantage with just over 12 minutes to play. After Felician was able to reduce their deficit to seven points, 51-44 at the 9:24 mark, three straight baskets by Lambert and a three-pointer from freshman guard Lynéa Blue (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) ignited a 19-5 run that put Caldwell on top 70-49 with 4:27 remaining. The Cougars forced 28 turnovers in the game while committing just 14 miscues of their own.
Lambert was 8-of-18 from the field and grabbed five boards to go with her 20 points. Leedham finished with 15 points and a career-high five steals, while Blue added a career-best 13 points. Senior forwards Mackenzie Lynch (Wayne, NJ/DePaul Catholic), with 10 points and 13 rebounds, and Janay Perkins (Bronx, NY/Walton), with 14 points and 12 boards, each tallied double-doubles in the win.
Caldwell returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 6, with another CACC contest at Goldey-Beacom College. The game is scheduled to start at 5:00 p.m. in Wilmington, Del.
