ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Cedar Crest College basketball team rolled to a 53-31 win over the University of Valley Forge in a United East Conference contest at Lees Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

The Falcons doubled up the Patriots, 8-4, in the opening quarter after first-year Maliya Gonzalez (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) knocked down a jumper with 5:54 to play. The Patriots finished the first frame on an 8-4 run of their own to knot the score at 12 at the end of the opening 10 minutes.

Cedar Crest started the second stanza on an 8-2 run to build a 20-14 advantage, capped off by a jumper by Gonzalez with 4:35 on the clock. Valley Forge netted the next three points to pull within three, 20-17, but back-to-back buckets from the Falcons pushed the margin up to seven, 24-17 and entered the break with a six-point lead, 24-18.

Cedar Crest went on a 12-2 run that spanned the majority of the third quarter and stretched its lead to as many as 16, 36-20, before entering the last 10 minutes up 15, 36-21. The Falcons held the Patriots to 10 percent shooting in the stanza.

Cedar Crest opened up a 21-point lead after the home team started the final frame on a 9-2 run to make the score 45-24. The run was finished off by a layup by senior Rachel Bilger (Philadelphia, Pa./Upper Dublin) with 5:39 remaining in regulation. Valley Forge was able to pull within 15, 46-31, with 2:29 to play, but a late 7-0 run extended the margin back to 22 in the 53-31 final.

The Falcons shot 34.4 percent for the game and held the Patriots to 26.7 percent shooting on the afternoon. Cedar Crest held a 48-31 advantage on the glass and scored 19 points off 19 Valley Forge turnovers.

Bilger paced the Falcons with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, one assist, and two steals. Sophomore Caylie Long (Powder Springs, Ga./Hillgrove) pitched in 17 points, nine boards, six assists, and four steals. Gonzalez added nine points, a season-high 10 rebounds, six assists, and two steals. First-year Emily Matoushek (Waymart, Pa./Forest City Regional) collected five points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal in her collegiate debut. Senior Francess Suah (Philadelphia, Pa./Constitution) recorded two points, nine rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Senior Bryanna Rivera (Reading, Pa./Greenfield (Mass.)) registered one point, one rebound, and two steals. Sophomore Megan Perrine (Mount Vision, N.Y./Gilbertsville-Mount Upton) closed out the box score with six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

First-year Saniya Green (Baltimore, Md.) netted a team-high 14 points to go along with nine rebounds, two assists, and three steals in the loss for the Patriots.

Cedar Crest (7-7 overall, 4-6 United East) will stay home to host St. Mary's College of Maryland on Tuesday, February 4 at 6:00 p.m. The University of Valley Forge (4-16 overall, 3-9 United East) begins a two-game homestand with its next contest against Bryn Athyn College on Wednesday, February 5 at 5:00 p.m.