RADNOR, Pa. – The Cabrini women's basketball team certainly got some juice from its fans in Nerney Field House, as it took the University of Scranton to the wire before late free throws sent the Cavaliers to a fourth consecutive loss, 62-56.

After scoring just 11 total points in the team's first three games, senior Dana Peterson tied a career high with 16 points tonight.  Fellow senior Kristina Startare and sophomore Kate Skalski added 10 points each.  Senior Meghan Martin tallied seven points, while junior Renee Oliver paired six points and a team high nine rebounds.   

The game was tight from the opening whistle, as the teams combined for nine ties and 12 lead changes with neither leading by more than six points.

The Blue and White ran out to an early lead, as Peterson's triple in the final minute of the first quarter gave Cabrini a 16-11.  The Cavaliers held their lead for nine minutes of the second quarter before a late Startare jumper sent Cabrini into the halftime break with a 23-21 lead.

Five quick points to start the second half pushed the Blue and White lead to six points.  The Lady Royals bounced back to even the score at 31 at the 6:13 mark.  Scranton extended its lead to 38-34, but back to back buckets by Startare and Skalski knotted the game again.

Skalski connected for seven straight points for the Cavaliers, including a three pointer that evened the score at 43 with 69 seconds remaining in the third quarter.  Freshman Bridgette Mann broke the deadlock, as her jumper gave Scranton a 45-43 lead to end the third.

The Blue and White scored the first six points of the final period, building a four point cushion.  Following a Scranton bucket, Skalski's second three pointer of the half gave Cabrini a 52-47 lead with just over six minutes to play.  

A 5-0 Lady Royals spurt again evened the score.  A Startare lay-up put the Cavaliers ahead 54-52 with just under four minutes left.  Scranton pulled within one before a steal by Oliver and a subsequent pair of free throws pushed Cabrini's lead back to 56-53 with 2:17 on the clock.

Those would be Cabrini's final points, as the Cavaliers missed its final seven field goal attempts.  Scranton took advantage, hitting a lay-up then connecting on 7-8 from the free throw line in the final minutes.  

After shooting just 29% in the opening half, the Cavaliers found their shooting touch in the locker room, shooting over 48% after the break.   

Cabrini's 56 points marked a season high, as did its field goal and three point percentages and its 13 assists.

Junior Alexix Roman led the Royals (4-0) with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while senior Jaclyn Gantz added 13 points and senior Noelle Alicea 10.

The Cavaliers will return to action on Dec. 2 when they travel to Hackettstown, N.J. to face Centenary College (3-2) in the Colonial States Athletic Conference opener for both clubs.  Game time is set for 6 p.m.