ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. -- Junior forward Lucy Coogan (Kilkenny, Ireland)  had game-highs of 25 points and 12 rebounds and sophomore guard Jah'Nel Lewis (Jersey City, N.J.) had 14 points and six assists as Caldwell women's basketball fell in overtime, 77-71, to Molloy in an exciting contest that featured eight lead changes and 10 ties at Bob Houlihan Gymnasium on Tuesday.

Molloy took an early 13-4 lead in the first four minutes of play, but the Cougars (7-6) battled back, using a late run that included a three-point play by sophomore guard Brianna Carey (Clifton Park, N.Y.) and a steal and buzzer-beating layup by freshman guard Jaylyn Orefice (Union City, N.J.) to pull to within 18-14 after one.

After Molloy took a five-point lead midway through the second quarter, CU evened the score at 23 on pairs of free throws by sophomore forward Shauntia Alexander (North Plainfield, N.J.) and Carey. Lewis then gave CU its first lead at 26-23 with a three-pointer with 3:44 left. But a 10-0 run by the hosts helped lift the Lions to a 33-28 halftime edge.

The Cougars came out firing in the second half, with a three pointer by graduate forward Sophia DeMauro (New York) and two straight triples by Coogan putting CU back in front, 39-37, as part of a 13-4 start over the first 4:10 of the third that gave the Cougars their largest lead of four.

But the Cougars weren't done, adding in another 7-0 run, fueled by aggressive defense and capped by a traditional three and two more free throws by Lewis for a 48-40 advantage with 3:23 to go. After a MU basket, another three by Coogan staked CU to a 51-42 edge that would grow to 53-43 before settling for a 55-49 lead heading into the fourth.

Molloy (7-6) would score 12 of the first 16 points over the first five minutes of the fourth to retake the lead at 61-59 before a layup by sophomore guard Brooke Corbett's (Staten Island, N.Y) layup evened the score at 61. 

The teams would trade defensive stops until the hosts went ahead on a basket with 3:11 left, the score remaining 63-61 until a Coogan layup tied it at 63 with under 1:00 to play. After another Cougar stop with Coogan grabbing her 11th rebound of the day with 33.1 seconds to play, Lewis's attempt to give CU the lead fell off the rim with 4.7 seconds left, giving Molloy a chance to go ahead, but a three pointer missed everything as regulation time expired.

The Cougars were held scoreless for the first 2:30 of overtime before Coogan's layup pulled CU to within 69-65. On the next possession, Coogan sealed for an offensive rebound and layup to trim the deficit to 69-67, then Coogan tied it on a jumper. After MU retook the lead, Orefice nailed two clutch free throws with 47.8 seconds left to tie it at 71.

The Lions went up by two on a floater with 43.6 seconds left, and tacked on four free throws in the final moments to seal the win.

For Coogan, it marked her second straight double-double and fourth of the season.

The Cougars visit Georgian Court on Saturday in their next action in a noon matchup in Lakewood, N.J.