NEW CASTLE, Del. - The Caldwell College women's basketball team lost to Wilmington University, 84-70 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Pratt Center. The result extends the Cougars' losing streak to four and drops their record to 9-16 overall, including a 7-8 mark in the conference. The Wildcats improve to 16-10, 11-6 CACC.

Wilmington built a 26-14 lead over the first 12 minutes of the first half. The Cougars answered with a 13-2 run that made it a one-point game, 28-27 with 1:28 on the clock. Sophomore guard Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Acad.) had five points and senior forward Mackenzie Lynch (Wayne, NJ/DePaul Catholic) had four points in the run for Caldwell. Baskets by Samantha McLean and Amelia Simmons before the end of the half gave the Wildcats a 32-27 lead at the break.

Wilmington led by as many as nine points early in the second half before the Cougars made their move. Eight points from Leedham, including a pair of three-pointers, helped Caldwell score 15 straight points to take 50-44 advantage with 10:47 to play. The Cougars forced five Wildcat turnovers during the run. After the teams exchanged baskets, Wilmington regained momentum and the lead with a 14-3 run to make the score 60-55 at the six-minute mark. The Cougars never recovered, as the host Wildcats pushed the lead to as many as 15 points.

The Wildcats shot a blazing 71.4 percent (15-of-21) from the field in the decisive second half and 62.2 percent for the game. The Cougars swiped 12 steals, including four by Leedham and three apiece from Lynch and senior forward Janay Perkins (Bronx, NY/Walton), and held a slight 38-35 edge on the boards. But it was not enough to overcome the hot shooting of Wilmington and avoid their fourth straight loss and seventh in their past nine games.

Lynch tallied her 14th double-double of the season with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Leedham paced the Caldwell scorers with 24 points, including five threes. Perkins, pictured, finished with 13 points and six boards, and freshman guard Kaitlyn Lambert (Cumberland, RI/Cumberland) had 11 points and seven rebounds. Simmons led all scorers with 29 points to go with 12 rebounds and four blocks for Wilmington. Kim Parker added 19 points.

Caldwell returns home to host Dominican College on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.