ORANGEBURG, N.Y.- The Caldwell University men's basketball team fell to Dominican College 78-56 in their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference opener.
 
The Cougars fall to 2-4 and 0-1 in the CACC, while the regionally ranked Chargers improve to 5-0 and 1-0 in conference play.
 
Dominican pulled ahead to a 17-11 lead midway through the opening half. The Cougars rallied back with a 10-3 run to take a one-point lead. Junior Manley Dorme (Nanuet, N.Y.) totaled four points, while senior Vaughn Covington (Sicklerville, N.J.) capped the run with a triple to put Caldwell ahead 21-20 with 7:32 remaining in the half.
 
The Chargers retook the lead and pulled ahead 33-22 with 4:35 left in the half. Caldwell trimmed the score down to 35-28 following two Dorme free throws at the 3:29 mark. Dominican added a pair of three-pointers down the stretch to lead 43-30 at halftime.
 
Caldwell opened the second half with nine straight points to close gap to 43-39 with 17:47 left in the game. Senior AJ Kittles (Glassboro, N.J.) totaled five points, including a trifecta, in the early part of the second half to rally the Cougars.
 
Dominican extended their lead to double digits midway through the half and maintained the lead down the stretch.
 
Dorme led the way with 16 points and three steals. Kittles chipped in 13 points, while senior Eric Johnson-Alford (Clifton, N.J.) totaled seven points and three boards. Freshman Gabe Johnson (Bloomfield, N.J.) finished with six rebounds and four assists.
 
The Cougars hosts Division I opponent St. Peter's University in an exhibition contest on Sunday, November 24 at 2 pm.