LANGHORNE, Pa. - A jumper by Caitlin Hess with 21 seconds left on the clock propelled Philadelphia Biblical University to the 55-53 victory against Immaculata University Wednesday night, January 30, at the Mason Activity Center in Langhorne, Pa. Immaculata moves to 4-13 overall this season.
Philadelphia Biblical (8-8) led by two points, 53-51, after Lindsey Fornwalt hit a jumper with 1:14 remaining in the game, but Immaculata junior Kasey Hicks evened the score at 53 after she sunk a jumper with 44 ticks on the clock. As the shot clock was winding down for the Crimson Eagles, Hess nailed the jumper with 21 seconds remaining in the game, and the Mighty Macs' three-point attempt as time expired missed.
Hicks led Immaculata in both scoring and rebounding with 12 points and seven rebounds. She also added seven assists, two steals and two blocks. Juniors Shannon Kueny and Stephanie Stripe each chipped in 10 points, while junior Courtney Dixon added eight points.
The opening eight minutes of the contest was highly contested as the lead went back-and-forth between the teams. The Crimson Eagles held a one-point advantage, 10-9, at the 12:19 mark, when the Mighty Macs went on a flurry, scoring seven unanswered points in just under four minutes, causing Philadelphia Biblical to call timeout.
In just over two minutes, the Crimson Eagles went on a 7-4 run to get within three of the Mighty Macs with 4:41 remaining in the first half. Immaculata answered right back, scoring on three of its next four trips down court for its largest lead of the first half, 27-17, with 2:01 to play. Immaculata went on to lead, 30-26 at the intermission.
The second stanza began much like the contest started with each team trading baskets. Immaculata was able to maintain its advantage until Dani Norton sunk a three-point basket with 10:31 on the clock for Philadelphia Biblical to tie the contest at 42-42. During the ensuing two and a half minutes, the Mighty Macs pushed their lead to seven, 49-42, the largest of the second half, as Kueny chipped in four points during the spurt.
Philadelphia Biblical forced the second tied score, 51-51, of the second half after it outscored Immaculata 7-2 over 5:11, and the Crimson Eagles took their first lead since the 12:19 mark of the first half as Lindsey Fornwalt made a jumper with 1:14 to play in the tilt.
The Crimson Eagles finished with four players in double figures in the scoring column, led by Summer Mullen's 15 points. Norton chipped in 14 points, while Hess added 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds and Fornwalt finished with 10.
Immaculata with play its third consecutive road contest when it returns to the conference slate on Saturday, February 2, taking on Cabrini at 1 p.m.
