Kaitlin BarrThe Cabrini women’s basketball team competed in the final Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Championship game against Gwynedd-Mercy on Saturday, Feb. 24.
From the second the referee let go of the ball for the tip-off, until the very last foul shot, the Lady Cavaliers battled it out against the Griffins for the opportunity to win the PAC.
Although having been on a seventeen game winning streak, Gwynedd-Mercy showed to be no better than Cabrini in any aspect.
Running fast breaks, grabbing loose balls, as well as some turn-overs, occurred on both teams. The game moved at an extremely fast pace, but both teams were up for the challenge.
The first half consisted of back-and-forth points; Cabrini would score, then Gwynedd-Mercy would score in response.
Neither team held the lead at any point, until half-time rolled around when the Griffins had the upper hand with a 44-42 lead.
Sophomore English and communication major and gaurd Kayleen Smith took complete control of the court both on offense and defense. With 16 points and nine rebounds, she was the leading scorer of the Cavaliers.
Not only was she the leading scorer, but also was the emotional leader on the court. If the team made a great play, Smith was the first one there to congratulate them.
Smith and sophomore exercise science major and forward Casey Kyler, was a major defensive threat, racking up 18 rebounds throughout the game.
Along with the 18 rebounds, Kyler added nine points to help her team during the game.
Towards the end of the second half, after three made three pointers were mae by the Griffins,] the Lady Cavaliers struggled to regain the lead. In a fight to the finish game, Cabrini lost the battle to Gwynedd-Mercy 68-61.
Looking ahead towards next season, Finfrock said, “Our team is so young, I am really looking forward to winning the PAC next year. We made it there this year and we almost had it. Next year we will be a year older and we will be more experienced. We will definitely win the PAC and do great things.”
The women’s team qualified for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference but lost 69-57 to Washington and Jefferson.
