Avery White scored a career high 32 points as the Chestnut Hill college women's basketball team completed a season series sweep of Holy Family University with a 73-64 win at Sorgenti Arena Saturday afternoon, clinching a home game for the first round of the upcoming Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Tournament.
The Griffins improve to 17-8 with the win and 11-4 in CACC games, clinching second place in the CACC south division. The Tigers fell to third place in the division with the loss and a 10-5 conference record (20-7 overall).
White's performance was the highlight of the game. Her 32 points are the most scored by a Griffin in a single game during the school's Division II era, breaking Olivia Gorczynski's mark of 31 set back in 2015. Ruari Sullivan holds the school's all-time record with 34 points, done multiple times during the 1999-2000 season. The sophomore guard connected on 12 of 20 shots from the field including a stellar 5-for-7 from three point range.
Bridie McCann also had five three point baskets, breaking the school's single season mark of three-point baskets made by a freshman with 64 on the season. (
Lauren Crim had the old mark with 61). McCann finished with 19 points on the afternoon.
Emily Sekerak recorded a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds and added two blocks.
Kaitlyn Carter led the team with five assists while
Caleigh Edwards had four along with a team-high three steals.
The Griffins took control of the game early in the first quarter, taking their first lead with 6:16 left in the first quarter and never trailed again afterwards. Chestnut Hill opened up a 16-point advantage midway through the second quarter before the Tigers closed the gap with a 14-4 run sending the Griffins into the locker room with only a six point lead 41-35.
A 9-2 run by the Griffins to open the third quarter again gave the home team a double-digit lead. Holy Family again battled back, and the Griffins again led by six heading into the final period.
White scored nine of her 32 points in the final quarter including a big pair of three-point baskets down the stretch. Edwards pushed the lead to eight with a basket at the 6:45 mark with the Tigers countering with a three-point goal. White then added a traditional three-point play to push the lead back to eight and sank the first of her two three-balls in the quarter with 2:54 left to the Griffins a nine point lead 65-56. The tigers roared back with an 8-2 run, highlighted by a traditional three-point play from Taylor Hinkle and capped with a Claire Dougherty layup, cutting the Griffins lead to three 67-64 with just 44 seconds left. White broke the run with another three-point basket giving CHC a 70-64 lead, while the Griffin defense held the Tigers scoreless the rest of the way.
Hinkle led the Tigers with 28 points and 12 rebounds while Jessica Riepe chipped in ten.
Statistically speaking, both teams were nearly equal as the Griffins shot 40.3% (27-67) and Holy Family 39.1% (25-64). The Tigers had a 40-38 rebounding edge. The Griffins, however, made the most of any HFU turnovers scoring 29 points off 19 Tiger miscues. The Tigers, meanwhile, scored just six points off 16 CHC turnovers.
The women's basketball team will close out their regular season with a game at Georgian Court University on March 2, 2024. Tipoff is set for 12:00 p.m.
