ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College basketball team was edged by the University of Valley Forge, 51-49, in a Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) showdown on Saturday afternoon at Lees Gymnasium.

The Falcons started strong, doubling up the Patriots, 8-4, following a free throw by Valley Forge sophomore Jessi Manning (Paterson, N.J.) with 6:07 remaining in the opening quarter. Cedar Crest then went on 7-0 run to push the lead to 11, 15-4, capped off by a three-pointer by senior Ashley Wilson (Norwalk, Conn./Norwalk). The Patriots pulled to within seven (18-11) following a triple by junior Mariah Matthews (Baltimore, Md.), but the Falcons had the last points of the stanza after a jumper by junior Morgan Ritchie (New Tripoli, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) to give Cedar Crest a nine-point margin after one frame, 20-11.

The Falcons held onto its double-digit lead for the majority of the second stanza. Valley Forge cut the lead to as few as seven in the frame after a good layup by Manning with 7:56 to play to make the score 22-15 in favor of Cedar Crest. The deficit bounced back-and-fourth between single and double digits for the next few minutes, but a 5-2 edge by Valley Forge in the final minute of the quarter cut the margin to eight at the half, 30-22.

The contest tightened up in the third quarter. The Patriots got as close as four, 35-31, after a layup by Manning with 4:49 to play. The Falcons came right back with a 7-0 spurt to send the Patriots' deficit to double figures, finished off by a free throw from Wilson to make the score 42-31 and would start the final frame with the 42-33 advantage.

Valley Forge began the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run over the opening 2:32 to pull even, 42-42. The Falcons jumped back out in front with three straight points, 45-42 and later held a three-point advantage after a jumper from Ritchie to make the score 49-46. The Patriots went onto net the final five points of the contest as the Falcons would fall in the 51-49 final.

Manning guided Valley Forge with 23 points, 13 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal. Matthews was the only other Patriot in double-figures, tallying 15 points, four boards, three assists, and two steals.

Wilson led Cedar Crest with 23 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. First-year Haivynn Kovach (Virginia Beach, Va./Churchland) matched a season-high with 16 points in addition to nine caroms, two assists, and five steals.

Cedar Crest (1-13 overall, 1-11 CSAC) will stay home to play host to Saint Elizabeth University on Wednesday, February 8 at 7:00 p.m. The University of Valley Forge (4-13 overall, 2-10 CSAC) returns home as they will welcome in Clarks Summit University on Monday, February 6 for a 6:00 p.m. tip-off.

For the latest on Cedar Crest Athletics, follow the Falcons via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube!