The Chestnut Hill College Women's Basketball team overcame a rough first 13 minutes as they rallied to soundly defeat the University of Bridgeport 65-53 Saturday afternoon at Sorgenti Arena.

The win extended the Griffins' winning streak to five games as they improve to 15-7 overall and 10-3 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games.  The Purple Knights fall to 8-15 overall and 4-10 in league games.  Chestnut Hill has now won ten of their last 11 games.

The win is also head coach Jim Connolly's 50^th career victory, all at Chestnut Hill.  Connolly becomes just the third coach in program history to record 50 or more wins, joining Mike West (56 from 2015-19) and Jackie DeMarteleire (55 from 2004-08).

Ten different players scored for the Griffins, led by Bri Hewlett's 14 points (4-7 3FG).  Emily Chmiel added ten points  (4-7 FG) and had a team high six rebounds.  Bri Rider chipped in nine points (3-5 3FG) and Leah Miller had eight  points (3-4 FG) and six rebounds in eight minutes off the bench.  Morgan Sterner also grabbed six rebounds while Abbey Spratt led the team with six assists.

The Purple Knights had a strong first quarter, jumping out to a 17-7 lead  and extending it to 26-13 just 6:43 into the second quarter.  The Griffins offense then exploded for 15 straight points to take their first lead of the game 28-26 just 3:30 later.  Miller started the run with a putback and Siobhan Boylan (7 points) and Rider followed with back-to-back three-point buckets.  Spratt and Chmiel followed with layups and Hewlett's three-ball capped the run.   The two Bri's (Hewlett and Rider) each added another three-point basket before the half ended with the Griffins ahead 34-30.

The Griffins expanded their lead to nine three times in the third quarter the last coming with 1:11 left on a Miller layup.  UB's Amani  Melendez  sank a three point basket with just under a minute to make the score 52-46 heading into the final period.

A huge 12-1 run to open the fourth quarter put the Griffins firmly in control with a 17-point lead 64-47 with just 3:32 left in the game.  Chmiel had six of the 12 points during the run with three-point baskets from Morgan Orloski and Sara Tamoun providing the rest.  UB closed out the game on a 6-1 run to close the gap to 12 as the buzzer sounded.

Stephanie McBride led Bridgeport with 12 points and 15 rebounds.  Sade Young and Melendez had 11 points apiece as did Tariah Bryant who came off the bench to score all of her points in the first half.

For the game the Griffins shot 38.3% (23-60) from the field and were slightly better from beyond the arc (12-31, 38.7%).  CHC's 12 three point field goals is their highest total since making 13 in the CACC quarterfinals last year against Caldwell University. Bridgeport shot 33.3% (21-63) from the field and 38.9% (7-18) from beyond the arc.  The Griffins held a slight 43-42 rebounding edge.

The women's basketball team returns to action on Thursday, February 9, 2023 when they host the University of New Haven at Sorgenti Arena.  Tipoff is set for 6:00 p.m.