CALDWELL, N.J.- Sophomore Karlie O'Driscoll (Sharon, MA) netted 16 points but the Caldwell University women's basketball team fell to Philadelphia University 72-63 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play on Monday night.
 
The Cougars fall to 10-7 overall and 6-3 in the CACC, while the Rams improve to 12-5 and 8-0 in conference play.
 
The teams battled through a close opening quarter of play as the Rams scored the first seven points of the game. The Cougars answered with seven points to even the score at the 6:14 mark. Philadelphia retook the lead as they pushed ahead by four points but Caldwell rallied late in the quarter. Junior Antoinette Pilla (Scarsdale, NY) converted a three-point play to cut the score down to 18-17 with 47 seconds left in the first quarter.
 
The Rams extended their advantage in the second quarter as they led by as much as 15 points at 41-26 with 1:26 left in the opening half. O'Driscoll connected on a lay-up with under a minute to play to cut the score down to 41-28 at the break.
 
Philadelphia connected from downtown to start the second half for their largest lead of the game at 16 points. Caldwell used a 9-0 run to trim the score down to 44-37 with 6:01 remaining in the third quarter. The Rams pushed their lead back into double digits late in the quarter but the Cougars rallied back.
 
Caldwell used a 10-0 over the final 3:25 of the third quarter and early into the fourth quarter to slice the lead to three points. Freshman Caroline Dunn (Denville, NJ) scored four points, while sophomores Kristen Drogsler (Middle Village, NY), Sharell Sanders (Dorchester, MA) and O'Driscoll each scored baskets to pull the Cougars to within 52-49 with 9:49 left in the game.
 
The Rams extended their advantage back to eight points late in the final quarter. Caldwell got as close as four points down the stretch following a Pilla triple with under a minute to play. The Rams took the victory as they went 8-for-10 at the free throw line in the final 60 seconds of the game.
 
For the Cougars. O'Driscoll's 16 points and nine boards led the way, while Pilla chipped in 13 points, three rebounds and two steals. Drogsler posted 10 points, six boards, four assists, three blocks and three steals, while Sanders totaled six points, four rebounds and nine assists. Sophomore Maura Kelty (Barrington, RI) recorded nine points and eight boards.

The Cougars are back on the court on Monday, January 18 for a non-conference tilt against Franklin Pierce University at 1 pm at the Newman Center.