ST. DAVIDS, Pa.–
Reggie Robinson fought through foul trouble to score a game-high 20 points and lead Eastern University Women's Basketball to a 62-48 win over Eagle Road rival Cabrini College. The freshman guard scored 16 points after halftime to help the Eagles to claim bragging rights for the second straight year.
The visiting Cavaliers took advantage of early foul trouble to build a 12-8 edge after the first quarter. The Eagles struggled to find offensive rhythm and balance after Robinson went to the bench with a pair of personal fouls only a few seconds apart in the first three minutes of the game.
Emily Lavin had five first-quarter blocks to limit the Cavaliers, but the host Eagles were unable to pick up ground before the first break.
The second quarter, however, was a different story altogether. Freshman forward
Ashley Kurdziolek (9 Points) hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 12-11 on the first possession of the quarter. The Cavaliers answered with a 3-pointer before the Eagles grabbed control of the game with an 11-0 run. Four different Eastern players scored in the run. Kurdziolek made another pair of jumpers in the period, but the Cavaliers found ways to make inside shots and stay in the game. Eastern led 28-24 at the half. The Eagles shot 44% from the floor and made all five free throw attempts but were unable to pull away because the Cavaliers grabbed 11 offensive rebounds.
Cabrini forged a 36-35 lead midway through a very defensive third period. The game was still very much in question heading into the final period. Amanda Riif broke a 37-37 tie with a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the third.
Taylor Price gave the Eagles the lead for good when she opened up the scoring in the fourth on a tough 3-pointer on a kick-out pass from Robinson. Robinson hit an elbow jumper on the next possession to stretch the Eastern advantage to seven. Price (14 points) then beat the shot clock with a long 3-pointer to give the Eagles a 47-38 lead with just a little less than nine minutes to play.
Robinson then took over the game. The first-year standout scored 10 of the final 15 points and had an assist, three steals, and an offensive rebound over the final five minutes of the game. the cavaliers Lavin capped the game with her seventh block of the game.
"We tried to keep Reggie involved when she was in [foul] trouble," first-year head Coach
Eric Houston said of the early part of the game. "She picked up those two quick ones, and that changed everything. I tried to get her in short spurts without letting her pick up another foul. She did a really good job with that. We will learn and keep getting better." Houston was very impressed with the work of the players coming off the bench, particularly Kurdziolek, in stepping into the big-game environment of the Battle of Eagle Road.
Lavin, who also struggled with foul trouble, finished the evening with 12 points, eight rebounds, and three assists to go with her game-high seven blocks. Price ended the evening with five assists. Dana Peterson and Sabrina Hackendorn each scored eight points to lead the visiting Cavaliers (0-1) in their season-opener.
The Eagles (2-0) will take on UT-Dallas in the opening game of the Kean University Classic this Friday.
