RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The Caldwell College women's basketball team earned a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory on the road, defeating Felician College, 65-61 Tuesday night at Job Gymnasium. With the win, the Cougars wrap up a sweep of the season series with Felician and improve to 9-12 overall and 7-4 in league play. The Golden Falcons fall to 3-19, 1-11 CACC.
The first half remained close, with neither team gaining control of the game. A three-pointer by sophomore guard Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Acad.) gave Caldwell its largest lead of the half, 29-24 with 27 seconds before halftime. Phylicia Daniels made a lay-up with the clock running down to make the score 29-26 Caldwell at the break. Both teams shot poorly from the field, with the Cougars making 29.2 percent compared to 29.0 percent for the host Golden Falcons.
Caldwell stayed on top to start the second half, and used baskets by freshman guard Kaitlyn Lambert (Cumberland, RI/Cumberland) and junior forward Kate Shutz (Edison, NJ/Edison) to build a 49-42 advantage midway through the second period. Felician battled back with seven straight points, including a three from Shannon Gilmartin, to take its first lead of the game, 53-52 with 5:23 to play.
Leedham regained the lead for Caldwell on a conventional three-point play, only to have Janelle Biamonte tie the game for the Golden Falcons at 55-55 with a lay-up at the 4:24 mark. The Cougars answered with two baskets by senior forward Mackenzie Lynch (Wayne, NJ/DePaul Catholic) and another from Leedham to grab a 61-55 lead with 2:25 remaining. Felician pulled to within three points three different times but were unable to get any closer, as the Cougars defeated the Golden Falcons for the ninth straight time.
Lynch, pictured, led all players with 25 points, including 16 after halftime, and 19 rebounds. Leedham finished with 15 points while making 2-of-4 from three-point range. Biamonte paced Felician with 19 points, while Crystal Reed grabbed 15 boards in the loss.
The Cougars return home to face Nyack College on Thursday, Feb. 12. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. in the George R. Newman Center.
