CALDWELL, N.J.- The Caldwell University women's basketball team battled against Thomas Jefferson University but fell short 67-59 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest. 
 
The Cougars fall to 5-16 overall and 5-7 in the CACC, while the Rams improve to 9-11 and 6-6 in conference play.
 
Caldwell got off to a fast start as they built a 13-6 lead over the first seven minute of the game. Sophomore Paula Dits (Alicante, Spain) netted five point and capped the run with a triple at the 3:45 mark of the opening quarter.
 
Jefferson rallied back as they pulled even at 17 early in the second quarter and they pushed ahead 22-17 with 8:03 remaining in the first half. The Cougars answered as they battled back to tie the score at 27. Senior Tina Lebron (Manalapan, N.J.) drained a triple, while freshman Rebecca Morrison (Ayrshire, Scotland) added four points including the game-tying bucket with 2:40 left in the second quarter. The Rams scored nine straight points before a late triple by freshman Halle Brown (Downingtown, Pa.) cut the score to 36-30 at halftime.
 
The Cougars opened the second half with six straight points to pull even at 36. Jefferson retook the lead and held a slim lead for most of the quarter as three-pointers by Brown and Lebron kept the Cougars within striking distance. Dits pulled the Cougars even for the final time in the game with 3:56 left in the third quarter.
 
The Rams scored 10 unanswered points to pull ahead early in the fourth quarter. Caldwell rallied back as Dits converted a three-point play, while Morrison drained a triple to close the gap to 58-54 with 7:46 left in the game. Jefferson held off the Cougars down the stretch as they hit five free throws in the final minute.
 
Morrison led the way with 13 points and seven rebounds. Dits totaled 12 points, four boards and four assists, while graduate Alessia Smaldone (Malnate, Italy) tallied 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Lebron shot 2-for-5 from downtown and finished with 11 points. Brown added eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
 
The Cougars travel to Post University for a CACC contest on Tuesday, February 4 at 5:30 pm.