PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. – Graduate student Nicole Sachman (Niles, Mich./Brandywine) scored a season-high 22 points, while adding 21 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals and the Cedar Crest College basketball team outscored the University of Valley Forge, 43-25, in the second half, en route to an 80-44 victory in a United East Conference-Skye Division contest at The Pit on Wednesday afternoon.

The Falcons' defense held the Patriots to just 30.2% (16-for-53) shooting and Cedar Crest scored 31 points off 29 Valley Forge turnovers to fuel the win.

The Patriots shot 62.5% in the opening quarter and held a 13-12 advantage after the first stanza.

Cedar Crest began the second frame on an 11-0 run to turn a one-point deficit into a 10-point advantage. The run was finished off by a layup from first-year Caylie Long (Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove) with 6:05 on the clock to give the Falcons a 23-13 lead. Valley Forge cut the margin to seven on two separate occasions, with the second being after a triple by sophomore Gina Melendez (Buckholts, Texas) with 3:29 remaining in the half to make the score, 26-19. Cedar Crest then finished the quarter on a 12-0 run to carry a 37-19 advantage into the half.

The Falcons extended its lead to 30, 53-23, after starting the third quarter on a 16-4 run, which was finished off by a layup by Sachman with 3:47 left on the clock. The margin reached 34 before the end of the stanza, but the Patriots scored two straight buckets to finish out the stanza and to make the score 57-27.

Cedar Crest pushed its lead to as many as 39 in the final frame as the Falcons came away with the 36-point victory, 80-44.

Sachman shot 9-for-26 and went 4-for-9 from the charity stripe for Cedar Crest for her 22 points. Long netted 17 points and added 10 rebounds for a double-double. The first-year also chipped in one assist and one steal. Junior Rachel Bilger (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Dublin) contributed 13 points, eight boards, one assist, one block, and four steals. First-year Megan Perrine (Mount Vision, N.Y./Gilbertsville-Mount Upton) pitched in a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds, while also adding five assists and a pair of steals. Junior Bryanna Rivera (Reading, Pa./Greenfield (Mass.)) tallied 11 points, three boards, two assists, and two steals. Sophomore Jordan McGhee (Copperas Cove, Texas/Copperas Cove) closed out the scoring column for the Falcons with five points to go along with three caroms, two assists, and two steals.

Senior Mariah Matthews (Baltimore, Md.) guided Valley Forge with 13 points, four rebounds, and a steal. Senior Kaionna Hanna (Las Vegas, Nev.) joined Matthews in double figures with 10 points, nine boards, two assists, and a steal.

Cedar Crest (2-6 overall, 2-4 United East-Skye Division) will next play on Saturday, January 6 when they host Clarks Summit University on Saturday, January 6 at 1:00 p.m. The University of Valley Forge (0-10 overall, 0-5 United East-Skye Division) will begin a two-game road trip on Saturday at Saint Elizabeth University. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m.

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