ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College basketball team used a strong start to defeat Rosemont College on Saturday afternoon by a score 63-50 in a United East Conference contest at Lees Gymnasium.

The Falcons jumped out to a 10-2 lead following a free throw from senior Rachel Bilger (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Dublin) with 6:50 to play in the opening quarter. Cedar Crest led by as many as nine (16-7) in the frame and closed the first 10 minutes with a six-point advantage, 17-11.

The Ravens pulled to within four, 19-15, after a layup from first-year Aniya McDaniel (Philadelphia, Pa.) with 8:08 on the clock, but the Falcons answered with an 8-0 run to extend the margin to 12, 27-15. Cedar Crest would go up by as many as 14 in the closing minutes of the stanza and entered the intermission with a 12-point lead, 30-18.

The Falcons, who never trailed in the contest, maintained control in the second half, stretching its margin to as many as 18 following a triple from senior Bryanna Rivera (Reading, Pa./Greenfield (Mass.)) to make the score 44-26 with 4:29 to play in the third quarter. Cedar Crest kept hold of its double-digit margin and would come into the final frame up 13, 49-36.

Rosemont whittled the deficit down to as little as nine with 6:39 remaining in regulation. However, the Falcons responded with an 8-2 run to pump the lead back to double digits and coasted to the finish.

Cedar Crest shot 38 percent as a squad and held a 44-41 edge on the glass. Sophomore Caylie Long (Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove) tallied a team-high 24 points to go along with 15 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and three steals. Rivera chipped in 13 points, four boards, two assists, and one steal. Bilger followed with 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals. First-year Maliya Gonzalez (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) added nine points six caroms, seven assists, and two steals. Sophomore Megan Perrine (Mount Vision, N.Y./Gilbertsville-Mount Upton) closed out the box score with four points, 11 rebounds, one assist, and one block.

The Ravens shot just 31 percent from the floor and went 1-for-12 from long range. McDaniel finished with a game-high 27 points to go along with five rebounds, one assist, and one steal for the visitors.

Cedar Crest (5-4 overall, 3-3 United East) will next play at Keystone College on Tuesday, January 14 at 6:00 p.m. Rosemont (0-15 overall, 0-6 United East) returns to action at home against Penn College on Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.