Box Score Wilmington, Del. – (1/13/2015) – Freshman forward Brianne Morgera (Newport, R.I.) put in the hard work to earn Chestnut Hill College a 32-30 halftime edge on Goldey-Beacom College, yet despite the second-half efforts of senior forward Tiffany Turner (Marlton, N.J.) and senior guard Shayla Felder (Cheltenham, Pa.), the Griffins gave way to the Lightning in an 86-75 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) final. Turner came off the bench to finish with her third double-double of the season, and second in as many games, as she totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds while also providing an assist and a steal.

Goldey-Beacom College (7-11, 6-3) began their attack from long range, recording their first three field goals from behind the three-point line for a narrow 10-7 lead with 12:28 remaining in the first half. Chestnut Hill College (4-11, 2-6) trailed the Lightning until just after the nine-minute mark (8:54), when freshman guard Nina Mazzarelli (West Chester, Pa.) converted two free throws to push the Griffins ahead 17-16. From there, the advantage fluctuated between the CACC rivals until a three-point play from Morgera, a pair of layups from Felder, and Turner separated the Griffins for their largest lead of the game, 26-20, with 4:33 of first-half clock still available. With the time remaining the Lightning cut the halftime gap to two points, 32-30, before nearly shooting 60.0% from the floor (19-of-32, 59.4%) from the floor and nearly 70% (8-of-12, 66.7%) from the three-point line, in a second half where they grew the deficit to as many as 17 points, 73-56, in the final five minutes of play (4:49). A short Griffin reprise led by senior guard Olivia Gorczynski (Parlin, N.J.) shortened the margin to as little as seven points, 80-73, as late as the final thirty seconds (0:31), before the final settle on an 11-point difference, 86-75, in the Lightning favor.

Four Lightning finished in double figures with senior guard Lillian Chukwueze (Cherry Hill, N.J.) leading the group on a 20-point, 12-rebound double-double that came with five assists, a block, and two steals. Freshman guards Lexi Bruno (Millville, N.J.) and Reighly Melochick (Pottsville, Pa.) were next in line with 14 points and 13 points, respectively. Bruno's points came with six rebounds, five assists, and three steals while Melochick came off the Lightning bench for seven rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal. Their classmate, freshman forward Marisa Howard (Reminderville, Ohio) added five rebounds and a steal to her ten points.

Turner recorded 14 points and six rebounds of her double-double in the second half. Meanwhile, Felder scored ten of her points to finish the contest with 14 points and four assists. Gorczynski totaled nine points, three assists, a block, and a steal while Morgera contributed seven points, seven rebounds, and a block to the production.   

The women's basketball team remains on the road for their next CACC contest which is schedule for a 1:00 p.m. start at Holy Family University on Saturday, January 17.