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ST. DAVIDs, Pa. – After a solid first half, the Cabrini College women's basketball team could not sustain their defensive pressure for a key four minute span of the second half.  Those four minutes sent the Cavaliers to a 61-51 loss at Eastern University tonight, dropping the Blue and White to 7-13 on the year.

Sophomore Brittany Sandone led the Cavaliers with 13 points and six rebounds, while fellow sophomore MaryKate
McCann and freshman Megan Decker added eight points each.

Cabrini jumped out to an early lead, scoring the game's first five points before the Eagles responded.  Eastern went on a 15-0 pull away from the Cavaliers at 15-5 with 11:46 on the clock. 

The Blue and White was up to the task, rallying for a 15-2 run of their own, led by seven quick points from freshman Amber Keys.

By the break, the Cavaliers trailed 23-22.  After 20 minutes, the game looked as like a match-up of Cabrini's perimeter shooting and Eastern's inside presence. Sixteen of Eastern's points came in the paint, while 16 of Cabrini's came from outside the lane.

The two teams tussled for the lead and the game's momentum for the early part of the second half.  The first six minutes of the half featured four ties and four lead changes, with neither team extending its lead beyond two points.

A McCann three-pointer with 13:46 left in the game gave Cabrini a slim 37-36 lead.  Over the next 3:42, Cabrini went 0-10, allowing the Eagles to run out to a 11-0 spurt, taking a 47-34 lead with 10 minutes left in the game.  Another McCann trey finally ended Eastern's run.

Though the Cavaliers had fought back from a 10-point deficit in the first half, they didn't have enough in the tank to replicate the comeback.  Eastern returned to their inside strength to push their lead out to a game-high 15 points with 2:11 on the clock. 

In her first collegiate start, Decker added a game-high 13 rebounds to her 8 points, three assists, and two steals.   Keys finished with seven points and five rebounds off the bench.  McCann recorded a game-high six assists in the loss.

Freshman Meghan Nowak led the Eagles (15-4) with 28 points, including a perfect 9-9 from the free throw line, while senior Bekah Roland posted a double-double with 20 points and 13 boards.

The Cavaliers will return to Colonial States Athletic Conference play on Wednesday when they welcome the Rosemont College Ravens to Nerney Field House.  Tip is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.