Bri Hewlett scored a career high 24 points and notched her third straight double-double with 11 rebounds as the Chestnut Hill College Women's Basketball team clinched a home playoff berth with a 65-60 win over neighboring Jefferson University

The Griffins improve to 21-4 overall and 14-1 in Central Atlantic Collegiate conference games Jefferson drops to 19-6 overall and 11-4 in league play.  The win also marks the first time in program history that the Griffins have swept the season series from the Rams.

Hewlett (North Wales, Pa.) connected on nine of 15 shots from the field including a 5-for-7 effort from beyond the arc.  In addition to her 11 rebounds (9 defensive), Hewlett added three assists.  Cassie Sebold (Willow Grove, Pa.) added 17 points (5-11 FG, 5-6 FT) and had three assists and four steals.  Lindsey Lane (Havertown, Pa.) added ten points, five rebounds and two blocks.  Emily Sekerak (New Tripoli, Pa.) had seven rebounds, six of them in the fourth quarter and a key block in the final minute to help secure the win.  Kaitlyn Carter (Philadelphia, Pa.) led the team with five assists.

Jefferson jumped out to an early 8-2 lead.  The Griffins battled right back with a 12-2 run to take an 14-10 lead midway through the quarter. Three-point baskets from Hewlett and Sebold highlighted the run.  After the Rams rallied to tie the score at 16-16, Chestnut Hill ran off nine straight points to open up a 25-16 lead as the quarter was winding down.  Cassie Murphy (team high 15 points) added a basket for Jefferson at the buzzer to cut the Griffins lead to 25-18.

The Rams scored the first seven points of the second quarter tie the game at 25-25.  Emily Chmiel (Doylestown, Pa.) stopped the run with a 12-foot jumper from the left side.  Hewlett followed with a three-point basket and the Griffins again led by 30-25.  Hewlett later added a layup and Sebold a three-point basket but the Rams were able to shave two points off the lead as the Griffins headed to the locker room at halftime ahead 35-32.

Jefferson opened the third quarter with a 7-3 run to take a 39-38 lead.  Lane gave the lead back to the Griffins with a jumper starting a 6-0 run to put the Griffins back on top 44-39.  Jefferson again stormed back to take a 46-45 lead with 2:30 left in the period. Six straight points by the Chestnut Hill returned the lead to the Griffins before Jefferson's Morgan Robinson (ten points) sank two free throws with .4 left on the clock to close the gap as the Griffins held a 51-48 lead heading into the final quarter.

Hewlett's three-ball to open the fourth quarter increased the Griffin's lead to sic 54-48 and later increased the margin to eight 58-50 before three straight baskets by the Rams cut the lead in to two 58-56. Lanes basket at 2:10 pushed the Griffins lead back to four 60-56 with 2:17 left. Sebold added two free throws with 48 seconds to push the lead back up to six 62-56.   Morgan Robinson added two free throws for the Rams to bring Jefferson within four 62-58 and Sam Yencha (14 points) added a layup to make it a two point game with 35.8 seconds left, 62-60.  Lauren Crim (Warrington, Pa.) then pushed the lead back to four with two free throws 64-60 with 29.4 left.  Sekerak then came up big on defense, with a block on Jefferson's leading scorer Murphy and a subsequent defensive rebound.  Sebold rounded out the scoring with a free throw to give the Griffins the 65-60 win.

The Chestnut Hill Women's Basketball team returns to action on Saturday, February 19, 2022 when they host Wilmington University.  Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Sorgenti Arena.