CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell University women's basketball team erased a late seven-point deficit to defeat Dominican College in overtime, 78-74 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Wednesday night in the George R. Newman Center. The victory gives the Cougars a 10-8 record on the season, including a 7-2 mark in conference play. The Lady Chargers drop to 7-11, 5-4 CACC.

With the score tied at 51-51 with eight minutes remaining, Dominican used a 9-2 run capped by a basket from Lisa Bouffard to take a 60-53 lead at the 5:18 mark. Caldwell responded with two threes from sophomore guard Antoinette Pilla (Scarsdale, NY/Ardsley) in a 9-0 spree that put the Cougars on top, 62-60 with 2:53 on the clock. The lead was still two with two minutes left when a pair of free throws from Lashonda Hathorne and a basket from Bouffard gave the Lady Chargers a 66-64 edge with 43 seconds to play. But a jumper by senior forward Emily Caswell (Wakefield, RI/Prout School) from the left side with 25 seconds remaining tied the score at 66-66. Dominican failed to score on their final possession, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra session, the Cougars used the three-pointer to take control early, as Pilla and freshman guard Kristen Drogsler (Middle Village, NY/Christ the King) hit from long range for a 72-66 lead. Dominican fought back by scoring six of the next seven points to pull to within one, 73-72 with 2:14 left. A free throw by freshman forward Maura Kelty (Barrington, RI/Barrington) and two more from Pilla pushed the lead back to four, 76-72. After two Dominican free throws and a Caldwell turnover, Rebecca Rabeiro launched a three that would have tied the score with less than a minute to play. But the ball bounced off the rim, and Drogsler hit two free throws to put the game out of reach. The victory avenges a loss to Dominican on Jan. 10 in Orangeburg, N.Y.

Caldwell closed out the first half with a 10-2 spree for a 34-25 halftime lead. Pilla and Kelty each had 10 points in the half to lead the Cougars. The lead grew to as many as 14 points before the Lady Chargers battled back by shooting 53.6 percent from the floor in the second half. Caldwell went to the free throw line 33 times, making 25, compared to 13 times for Dominican for the game.

Pilla finished with a game-high 26 points while making 5-of-10 from three-point range. Caswell racked up 16 points, 19 rebounds and four steals, with Kelty finishing with a career-high 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. Drogsler had eight points, and senior guard Jessica Coscia (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) added four points, six assists and three steals. Hathorne led Dominican with 20 points and seven rebounds.

Caldwell hosts the University of the Sciences on Saturday, Jan. 24 in a CACC contest. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. in the Newman Center.