PHILADELPHIA – The Concordia College women's basketball team played in their first-ever Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship Tournament on Saturday afternoon at the University of the Sciences. The Clippers were unable to come away with the road victory in the post-season game as USciences captured a 64-42 win.
The first quarter began with the Devils shooting from the outside in the early going as Concordia used mid-range jumpers to knot the score at 6-6 at the 6:46 mark. USciences answered with five unanswered points to gain some breathing room. A three-point basket for junior Lyric Blanch (Kingston, N.Y.) with 5:49 remaining in the period would get the Clippers back to within a basket, 11-9.
Both teams would go cold over the next two minutes until the Devils used a 6-2 run to lead 17-11 with 1:15 to go in the quarter. USciences managed to score another field goal in the closing seconds as Concordia was held scoreless for the last two-plus minutes as the Devils led 19-11 after 10 minutes of action.
In the second quarter USciences began with six unanswered points as the Clippers would call a timeout at the 7:18 mark. Concordia was unable to score until junior Hadiyah Black (Brooklyn, N.Y.) knocked down one of her free throws with 2:17 to go in the period as the Clippers would trail 32-12. The Devils ended the quarter on a 7-2 run as Concordia went into the locker room trailing 39-14.
Senior Jessica Rosalbo (Staten Island, N.Y.) came out in the third quarter for the Clippers scoring five straight points as Blanch added a three-point basket at the 7:55 mark to cut the deficit to 39-22. USciences would call a timeout to regroup and the Devils answered with a 9-0 run to lead 48-22 with 4:06 to go in the period. Blanch would knock down another three-point basket at the 3:46 mark to stop the scoring drought for Concordia. The Clippers held USciences scoreless for the last 4:06 of the quarter, but Concordia would go into the fourth period trailing 48-26.
The Devils would open up a 28 point lead in the fourth quarter as the Clippers had a difficult time cutting into the deficit. Concordia would score the next eight straight points as USciences would slow down offensively with the Clippers still trailing 58-38 at the 1:57 mark. Concordia was unable to complete a comeback as the Devils captured the 64-42 victory.
Rosalbo led the Clippers in her final collegiate game with 15 points as she also added four rebounds and three assists. Blanch would chip in with 10 points and two rebounds as USciences held a 39-25 advantage in rebounds.
Concordia (8-20, 8-11 CACC) has now concluded their 2016-17 season. Stay tuned to ConcordiaClippers.com to view more post-season awards as announced in the upcoming future.