GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. – The Cabrini women's basketball team opened Colonial States Athletic Conference play with a hard fought 57-54 victory at Gwynedd Mercy University tonight.

The Cavaliers' seventh consecutive win over the Griffins improved the club to 3-2 on the season.

Senior Amber Keys led the Blue and White with 21 points and nine rebounds.  Fellow senior Megan Decker recorded her first double double of the season with 10 points and 10 boards, while junior Dana Peterson added 10 points.

As with all of the games between the two clubs, this was a nip and tuck affair that featured five ties and six lead changes, with neither team leading by more than seven points.

With score tied midway through the first half, the Cavaliers used a 7-0 spurt to build a 25-18 lead, its largest of the night, with 7:45 left in the opening half.  The Griffins cut the lead back to two, before a Peterson lay-up sent the Blue and White into the half with a 29-25 lead.

Decker's lay-up extended the Cabrini lead back to six points early in the second half, but the Griffins fought back to tie the score at 35.  

Gwynedd Mercy took its first lead of the half at the 10:47 mark, a lead that grew to 45-41 just over a minute later.  

Sophomore Tayler Holmes' lay-up sent the Blue and White on an 8-0 spurt, as a pair of Peterson three pointers put the Cavaliers up 53-48 with 3:24 to play.

The Griffins cut their deficit back to three points three times in the final three minutes, but Cabrini always had an answer.

The Cavaliers outscored Gwynedd Mercy 34-24 in the paint and outrebounded the Griffins 42-35, including 17 offensive boards for the Blue and White.

Cabrini will return to action on Friday night, as they welcome Cedar Crest College (1-6, 0-1 CSAC) to Nerney Field House.  The ball will go up at 7:00 p.m.