Women's Basketball Fends Off Cabrini, 66-56

Kayla Robinson
Kayla Robinson

RADNOR, Pa. - The Haverford College women's basketball team (6-3) secured a solid non-conference win on Monday evening at Cabrini (2-6), besting the Cavaliers by a 66-56 final at the Nerney Field House on the Cabrini campus. 

Kayla Robinson again dominated in the paint, with 18 points and 17 rebounds, adding three steals and an assist for good measure, as she continues to be one of the most impressive post players in the nation in the early goings this season. Robinson now has seven double-doubles this season, as she entered the day in second place within Division III in that category. Cortlyn Morris also tallied a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds, adding three steals and three blocks to her ledger. 

The two sides were deadlocked early, with both teams feeling out the offensive rhythm of the contest in the first quarter. To begin the second quarter, Haverford looked aggressive with the first six points in a quick spurt that was punctuated by a jumper from Erin Albright with 6:27 left in the half. A runner from Cortlyn Morris gave the Fords an eight-point cushion with 4:20 remaining in the stanza, and back-to-back buckets from Robinson and Abby Ryan then gave the Fords a nine-point lead heading into the intermission.

Haverford struggled to find offensive consistency in the third quarter, shooting just 15 percent from the field during that stanza as Cabrini had designs on getting right back into the contest. Abby Paolini trimmed the lead to just six with her three-pointer with 6:25 left in the frame, and Cabrini charged back within a single possession as Katie Rodriguez connected on a layup with 5:43 to go. Ella Gordon then got her squad back within just one with a triple as Haverford continued to flounder from the field. 

Ally Landau extended the lead back to four with a triple at 2:47 left in the third, starting a 9-3 run that was punctuated by Robinson's layup with 9:13 left in the fourth. Haverford looked much more poised in the final frame, jetting out on a 10-2 run as Morris connected from deep to put the Fords up by 13. In a game that featured nine ties, but just two lead changes, Haverford's lead reached its apex of 15 with 4:12 remaining in the final period of regulation as the visitors shot 43.8 in that final period.

The Fords staked their advantage in the contest largely on the glass, holding a commanding 49-30 edge in rebounding. Haverford was outshot by the Cavaliers, but made the most possessions with 32 points in the paint and 23 points off offensive rebounds. Paolini led the Cavaliers with 14 points while Rodriguez turned in a double-double effort with 10 points and 10 rebounds.  

A long-time exhibition scrimmage opponent for the Fords, the two sides were meeting in the regular season for the first time since February 7, 2000. 

The Fords now return right back to conference action on Wednesday for the final conference matchup of the 2022 calendar year, heading to Bryn Mawr for a 7 p.m. tip-off at Schwartz Gymnasium.