PHILADELPHIA, Pa. –  Caldwell University senior guard Jessica Coscia (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) recorded her 500th career assist as the Cougars lost a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game to Philadelphia University, 81-66 Saturday afternoon at the Gallagher Center. The loss drops Caldwell to 11-10 overall and 8-4 in league play, while the Rams improve to 14-3, 8-2 CACC.

Philadelphia held the upper hand for most of the first half, leading by as many as seven points before taking a 39-34 advantage at halftime. Senior forward Emily Caswell (Wakefield, RI/Prout School) and junior forward Lisa Rovatsos (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) each scored 10 points in the half for Caldwell, while Najah Jacobs had 14 points for Philadelphia.

Caswell scored the first six points for the Cougars to pull to within one, 41-40 with 16:52 on the clock. The Rams answered with a 9-2 run for a 50-42 lead, then later used six straight points to push the lead to 12, 64-52 with 8:40 to play. A basket by Caswell and two free throws from junior guard Nicole Angelo (Mount Laurel, NJ/Camden Catholic) brought Caldwell to within eight, 64-56. But back-to-back threes by Rachel Day and Monica Schacker sparked an 8-0 run for a 72-56 bulge with just under five minutes left. The Cougars were unable to get closer than 13 points the rest of the way, as the Rams beat Caldwell in Philadelphia for the first time in the past four meetings.

Coscia's 500th career assist came on a three-pointer by freshman guard Kristen Drogsler (Middle Village, NY/Christ the King) with 4:40 to play and was her ninth of the game. Coscia, who is averaging a CACC-best 5.3 assists per game this season, led the conference in assists as a freshman and junior. Her 500 career assists are more than any other active Division II player in the country.

Caswell led all players with 26 points and 11 rebounds for her 17th double-double of the season. Drogsler matched Rovatsos with 10 points to go with six rebounds, while freshman guard Sharell Sanders (Dorchester, MA/St. Mary's) added eight points and six boards. Jacobs finished with 21 points and Mary Newell had 17 points and eight rebounds to pace the Rams.

The Cougars continue CACC play with a home game against Felician College on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. in the George R. Newman Center.