Box Score

RADNOR, Pa. – Junior Amber Keys netted a career high 22 points, as the Cabrini women's basketball team opened Colonial States Athletic Conference play with a 63-55 win over Gwynedd Mercy University tonight at Nerney Field House.  The Cavaliers' fifth consecutive victory improves the club to 5-1 on the season.

Keys connected on 9-15 from the floor in just 27 minutes off the bench for the Blue and White.  The junior's game high 12 rebounds also matched a career best.  Fellow junior Megan Decker stuffed the stat sheet to the tune of 10 points, eight rebounds and a career high six assists.

The Cavaliers jumped out to an early 11-4 lead just over five minutes into the action, when the Griffins went on an 11-1 spurt to build a 15-12 lead with 11:33 left in the opening half.  The team exchanged the lead four times in the opening half, but Decker grabbed an offensive rebound and found Keys for a lay-up just before the halftime buzzer, sending Cabrini to the locker room with a 32-29 halftime lead.

The Blue and White kept up the pressure after the break, extending its lead to 39-32 after a lay-up by senior Colleen Stewart four minutes into the half.  Five minutes later, a pair of Decker free throws put Cabrini up 49-36 and a game-high lead of 13 points.  Each time it looked as though the Griffins were ready to mount a comeback, the Cavaliers had an answer.  Gwynedd Mercy never got within six points during the final 14:31 of the game.

Cabrini forced 18 Griffins turnovers and turned them into 17 points.  The Blue and White outrebounded Gwynedd Mercy 49-42 and controlled the paint to the tune of a 36-26 advantage in paint points.  

Senior Brittany Sandone added nine points in the win, while Stewart finished with a season high eight boards to go with five points.  

Senior Nicole Dougherty led Gwynedd Mercy (1-4, 0-1 CSAC) with 11 points.  Junior Natasha Matthews and sophomore Chandler DiFebbo added seven points each, while freshman charlotte Kucowski led the club with eight rebounds.  

The Cavaliers will hit the road on Wednesday, as they travel to Baltimore to face Notre Dame (Md.) University (0-5, 0-1 CSAC) for CSAC action.  Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m.