RADNOR, PA - The Cabrini women's basketball team opened Atlantic East Conference play with a narrow 53-50 loss to Immaculata University in the teams' first game of the new year.
The Blue and White were led offensively by junior
Miranda Liebtag who posted a team high 11 points on 4-8 from the field. Freshman
Giana Rullo finished second in team scoring with eight points, while adding a team high 12 rebounds and three assists. Graduate student
Ashley Tutzauer chipped in five points coming off the bench in her first game back from injury. Senior
Dani Tyrell also added five points in just under 22 minutes of action.
A three ball from
Dani Tyrell opened the scoring as the Cavs jumped out to a 5-0 advantage. The Mighty Macs responded with a 9-0 run over a four minute stretch. A Rullo layup put an end to the run and with four tenths of a second remaining in the quarter
Hannah Fenstermacher netted two of her three free throw attempts to close the quarter tied at nine apiece.
The Blue and White regained their lead courtesy of a Fenstermacher three pointer in the opening minute of the second, 12-9. In a back and forth quarter the Mighty Macs would recoup the lead thanks to a 7-3 run, however the Cavs closed out the half with six unanswered points, highlighted by a three from Tutzauer with under a minute to go into the break ahead 21-16.
Following a pair of free throws from Immaculata's Abigail Lentowski Cabrini outscored visitors 7-0 over a three minute span for its largest lead of the night, 28-18. The Mighty Macs chipped away at the lead outscoring the Cavs 15-8 over the remaining six minutes of play in the third, but the Cavalier managed to hold onto a lead and went into the final frame ahead 36-33.
Things looked good for the home team in the opening minutes of the fourth as Cabrini outscored Immaculata 9-4, highlighted by Liebtag's second trey of the day, 45-37. The Cavaliers led by seven with just under three minutes to play, 50-43. Unfortunately, the Mighty Macs closed out the game on a 10-0 run, highlighted by an and-one layup from Thersa Kearney to take the lead with 22 seconds remaining on the clock, 51-50. The Cavalier took several costly fouls late in the game, resulting in the aforementioned 53-50 loss.
The Macs were paced offensively by Abigail Boyer's 11 points, on 4-for-7 shooting from the field. Kearney finished with six points and a game high 17 boards. Kaitlyn Racobaldo also finished with double figures in rebounds with 10 along with nine points.
Following today's game, the Cavs drop to 4-8 overall and 0-1 in league play. They will now turn things around as the team heads to the Arlington, VA to face Marymount University this Saturday, January 15th. Game time is slated for 1pm.