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Cabrini 59, Gwynedd Mercy 56 OT

BOX SCORE


GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- In a game that featured 12 lead changes, Cabrini was able to outlast Gwynedd Mercy, 59-56 in overtime, ending the Griffins' win streak at six games.

Junior Natasha Matthews (Norristown, Pa./Norristown) had 15 points and 11 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season while adding three blocks. Kelsey Yori (Folsom, Pa./Ridley) added 11 points and eight boards as scoring was at a premium for most of the contest. Yori was also able to bury three of the team's six three-pointers on the night.

Brittany Sandone netted 16 points for Cabrini, as she was one of four players in double figures. Annie Rivituso (10 points/13) and Amber Keys (12 points/14 rebounds) each posted a double-double.

GM (13-11, 10-5 CSAC) led by two at the half, 22-20, as both teams were in the middle of a defensive chess match. The Cavaliers would open the second stanza on 17-4 run to put the Griffins in a double-digit deficit. A three from Kristina Startare gave Cabrini its largest lead of the game (44-31) with just over 10 minutes to go.

Yori led the charge to get the Griffins back in it as her third triple from the left corner made it a one-point game with 2:50 on the clock. After a possession for each team produced no points, senior Lauren Smtih (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) drove the across the lane for a tough bucket inside with 1:26 to go to give the Griffins their first lead since halftime.

Cabrini (20-4, 14-1 CSAC) looked for the go-ahead bucket and had three chances to do so, as the Cavaliers would secure three offensive rebounds off of misses. Rivituso would get fouled on a take to the bucket with just 10 ticks left. She would hit the first of two, with the rebound coming to Yori who drove the length of the floor, kicked it over to Nicole Dougherty (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Lower Moreland) for a three. Yori again would grab the miss and fire up a heave from the free-throw line before the buzzer sounded, but could not get it to fall.

In the overtime, the Cavs scored the first five points of the extra session, but again, the Griffins rallied. Matthews drive to the bucket for two put GM down 57-56 with 1:07 remaining. Gwynedd endured a Cabrini miss on the next possession, pulling down the defensive board with a chance to take the lead, but Yori's three-point attempt was no good.

After a GM foul, Rivituso again was at the line for two but her second attempt was no good. Megan Decker was able to grab a tough rebound and draw a foul to stop the clock with 13 seconds showing. She went to the line to try and ice the game, after making the first. Her second bounced off the rim to the hands of Yori. The Griffins would call a timeout to draw up a play with seven seconds to go. Yori would get a look at a potential game-tying three, but her shot was no good as the final horn sounded.

Smith would finish with six points and six rebounds. Dougherty contributed nine points and six caroms. Each team shot under 30% as the Griffins were 20-of-72 (27.8%) and the Cavaliers 18-of-68 (26.5%). Cabrini went to the charity stripe 26 times and made 18 free throws. GM was 10-for-11 at the line.

Gwynedd Mercy will close out the regular season on Wednesday night when they welcome Immaculata as part of a senior night doubleheader with the men. The women tip it off at 6 p.m. The Griffins have clinched a playoff berth, but need a win and a Marywood loss to clinch the #4 seed and a first-round home playoff game.