CALDWELL UPSETS NO. 9 STONEHILL IN WOMEN'S HOOPS, 57-50

EASTON, Mass. - The Caldwell College women's basketball team defeated a nationally-ranked team for the first time since becoming a NCAA Division II institution in 2002 with a 57-50 triumph over ninth-ranked Stonehill College Sunday afternoon at Merkert Gymnasium. The victory came in the season-opening game for the Cougars, who were 10-18 last season. The Skyhawks, picked to win the Northeast-10 Conference after going 22-9 and advancing to the NCAA East Region finals in 2008-09, fall to 2-2 on the season.

Trailing 42-35 with 12:30 remaining in the second half, Caldwell reeled off a 16-2 run to grab a 51-44 lead with four minutes on the clock. Five different players scored in the run, including four points apiece by sophomore forward Kaitlyn Lambert (Cumberland, RI/Cumberland), pictured, and freshmen Ebony Thomas (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) and Torey Jones (N. Providence, RI/LaSalle Acad.). Four points from Kelsey Simonds and a basket by Kristen McWhirter cut the Cougars' lead to one, 51-50 with just under two minutes to play.

Junior guard Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Acad.) answered with a lay-up for a 53-50 Caldwell lead at the one-minute mark. The Skyhawks came up empty on their final five possessions, and Leedham made 4-of-4 from the free throw line to wrap up the win for Caldwell, which hadn't defeated a team from the Northeast-10 Conference since beating St. Anselm College on Dec. 28, 2007.

The Cougars opened the game by making six of their first nine shots from the field en route to a 13-2 lead. Stonehill battled back to tie the game with a 13-2 run of their own, and eventually overtook Caldwell near the end of the first half. Four points from Annie Griffin and a basket by Megan Methven gave the Skyhawks a 32-26 advantage at halftime. After the Cougars closed to within 36-35 early in the second half, Stonehill tallied six straight points to take their largest lead of the game, 42-35.

Caldwell dominated inside, out-rebounding Stonehill 48-33 while grabbing 17 offensive rebounds. The Cougars also scored 38 points in the paint compared to 22 for the host Skyhawks.

Three Cougars tallied double-doubles, led by Jones with 15 points and 10 rebounds in her first game wearing the Scarlet, White and Gold. Jones also had four assists and two blocks. Lambert, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Rookie of the Year in 2008-09, finished with 14 points and a team-best 11 boards, while freshman center Gillian Felix (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) had 10 points and 10 rebounds. Thomas ended up with six points and five rebounds in her collegiate debut, while junior guard Abena George (Elmont, NY/Elmont Memorial) tallied five steals and four points. Leedham, the team's leading scorer and an all-CACC third team selection last year, had eight points and went 2-of-11 from the field. Simonds, a two-time honorable mention All-American, led the Skyhawks with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Caldwell is set to play in the UMass.-Lowell Tournament Nov. 21-22, facing the host Hawks on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and Bentley College on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

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