WILMINGTON, Del. –  The Caldwell University women's basketball team earned an important Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference victory on the road, defeating Goldey-Beacom College in overtime, 96-92 Saturday afternoon at the Jones Center. The win allows the Cougars (15-10 overall) to stay a half-game behind first-place Bloomfield College in the CACC North standings with a 12-4 conference mark. The Lightning drops to 11-14, 10-6 CACC.

With time winding down in regulation, Caldwell trailed 87-84 following a basket by Lillian Chukwueze with 30 seconds on the clock. On the next possession, junior guard Nicole Angelo (Mount Laurel, NJ/Camden Catholic) buried a three-pointer from the top of the key to tie the score at 87-87. A three-point attempt as time expired was off the mark, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra session, freshman guard Kristen Drogsler (Middle Village, NY/Christ the King) hit a three and followed with a jumper to put the Cougars ahead, 94-90 with 1:11 left. Chukwueze scored for Goldey-Beacom, then a missed three by the Cougars gave the ball back to the Lightning down 94-92. A Caldwell foul was called with 10 seconds remaining, but the Lightning missed the front end of the one-and-one, with senior forward Emily Caswell (Wakefield, RI/Prout School) grabbing the rebound. Sophomore guard Antoinette Pilla (Scarsdale, NY/Ardsley) was fouled and made both free throws, clinching the Cougars' fourth win in a row.

Caldwell fell behind by as many as 10 points in the first half before a 15-5 run tied the score at 35-35 with 4:20 left in the half. The score remained knotted, 50-50 at the half, as the Cougars shot 60.0 percent from the field and hit 5-of-7 from beyond the arc before halftime. Four points apiece from Caswell and junior forward Lisa Rovatsos (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) sparked an 8-0 run to open the second half.

The lead was still eight, 69-61 midway through the second half when four three-pointers ignited a 12-4 Lightning run that tied the game at 73-73 with 7:16 on the clock. Caldwell maintained the edge until back-to-back baskets from Chukwueze and Reighly Melochik put Goldey-Beacom ahead, 83-81 with two minutes left. A free throw from senior guard Jessica Coscia (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) and a basket by Caswell briefly gave the Cougars an 84-83 lead. Baskets by Britani Bryson and Chukwueze gave the Lightning an 87-84 edge, setting the stage for Angelo's game-tying three.

Goldey-Beacom held the advantage in threes (11-8) and rebounding (43-33), but Caldwell outscored the Lightning at the free throw line, 22-5 and turned 18 GBC turnovers into 23 points.

Six Cougars scored in double-figures, led by Caswell's 24 points and nine rebounds. Freshman forward Karlie O'Driscoll (Sharon, MA/Sharon) made all seven of her field goal attempts en route to 17 points, while Angelo hit four threes and had 16 points. Rovatsos (13 points), Pilla (12) and Drogsler (10) were the other Caldwell players in double-figures, with Coscia delivering a season-high 11 assists. Lexi Bruno had 20 points and Chukwueze finished with 19 points and 11 boards for Goldey-Beacom.

The Cougars return home to face Concordia College on Tuesday, Feb. 17 in another CACC contest. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. in the George R. Newman Center.