CHC hoopsters top Cabrini, bow to Gwynedd

by TOM UTESCHER

The Chestnut Hill College women closed out their summer basketball season in the Malvern League by splitting two games last week, defeating league host Cabrini College, 57-52, on Monday, then losing on Wednesday night to Gwynedd Mercy, 61-50.

The scoreboard was allowed to loaf at the start of Monday’s game, as the teams managed just one field goal between them during the first five minutes. Cabrini was up 5-1 early, then center Eli Cook rallied Chestnut Hill, making four baskets and shooting eight-for-nine at the free throw line to account for 16 of the Griffins’ first 17 points.

That gave the locals a 17-14 edge with six minutes to go in the first half, and later a jumper by Aubrey Saylor and three-for-four foul shooting by Andrea Carter helped Chestnut Hill to a 26-22 advantage at the intermission.

In the second stanza CHC spread the points around more evenly, as six other players besides Cook found the net. Lindsey Tornetta, Amy Ciaburri, Judy Parise, and Carter scored in succession as the Griffins opened the period with an 8-2 run that gave them a double-digit lead at 34-24.

A little later, Cabrini pulled within four points three times, but got no closer. Chestnut Hill widened the gap again, with three-pointers by Saylor and Bethanne Castone contributing to a lead that peaked at 52-38 with just under five minutes remaining. A late rally by the Cavaliers fell short, and even a three-pointer at the buzzer left them five points behind the Griffins.

Cook’s 24 point-effort for the winners was complemented by nine from Saylor and seven each from Carter and Castone. Ciaburri came away with four points and Parise and Tornetta had three apiece.

On Wednesday, a three-pointer and a shorter jumper by Castone helped hold up Chestnut Hill’s end as the two sets of “Griffins” forged a 9-9 tie in the first five minutes. After that, the rest of the half unfolded as a series of alternating offensive spurts.

Cook cashed in on three free throws and scored a pair of lay-ups to put Chestnut Hill up 16-9, then Gwynedd came back with 11 straight points to lead 20-16. The scoring switch flipped again, and the local Griffins ran off eight straight. CHC was up five points near the end of the half, but a late trey by Gwynedd set the score at 29-27 for the interlude.

GMC went on to post the first six points of the second period, then Cook and Parise rallied Chestnut Hill, which led for the last time at 36-35. Several strikes from three-point range helped push Gwynedd out to a 45-39 advantage with six-and-a-half minutes remaining in the game.

A trey from the right wing by Castone and a free throw by Tara Walsh pulled the locals back within two at 45-43, but the leaders clicked off eight unanswered points to move the margin into double figures with two minutes to go. Now in the one-and-one at the foul line and later in the double bonus, Gwynedd held off CHC in the stretch run.

Cook’s 26 points and Castone’s 12 paced Chestnut Hill, which also received six points from Parise, two each from Ciaburri and Tornetta, and single free throws from Walsh and Saylor.