NEW HAVEN, Conn.- Sophomore Karlie O'Driscoll (Sharon, MA) set a new career-high with 23 points but the Caldwell University women's basketball team came up short to the Southern Connecticut St. University Owls 69-65 in non-conference play.
 
The Cougars fall to 6-5 overall, while the Owls improve to 8-3 on the season.
 
Caldwell got off to a positive start as they led 8-4 at the midway point of the opening quarter. Sophomore Kristen Drogsler (Middle Village, NY) netted four of the eight points to help the Cougars build an early lead. The Owls battled back and they took a six point lead at 19-13 early in the second quarter.
 
Freshman Andie Lennon (Secaucus, NJ) drained a triple that sparked a 10-3 burst to put the Cougars back in the lead. O'Driscoll converted a three-point play, while Drogsler added four points to put Caldwell ahead 23-22 at the 5:34 mark of the second quarter. Southern Connecticut scored the next 13 points to retake the lead and go in front by double digits. O'Driscoll broke the run with a jumper with 1:23 left in the half but the Cougars trailed 39-27 at halftime.
 
The Owls scored on their opening possession of the third quarter but the Cougars battled back to even the score at 41. O'Driscoll dropped in eight points, while sophomore Sharell Sanders (Dorchester, MA) netted four points in the run. Junior Antoinette Pilla (Scarsdale, NY) scored on a lay-up at the 3:38 mark to cap the 14-0 run and knot the score at 41-41.
 
Southern Connecticut answered with a 14-3 run that stretched into the final quarter that put them back in the lead at 55-44 with 6:45 left in the game. Lennon again connected from downtown as the Cougars chipped away down the stretch. Caldwell got as close as two points following an O'Driscoll bucket with 20 seconds on the clock. The Owls connected on four free throws to hold off the Cougar rally in the final seconds.
 
For the Cougars, O'Driscoll's career-high 23 points led all scorers in the game as she shot 11-for-17 from the field. She added seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Drogsler tallied 15 points, eight boards and six assists, while Sanders chipped in 11 points and four rebounds. Pilla finished with six points and five rebounds, while Lennon totaled eight points and two assists.
 
The Cougars are back in action on Sunday, December 20 as they host Washington Adventist University at the Newman Center at noon.