CHAMPIONS: Tigers Repeat as CACC Champs With 66-56 Victory Over Caldwell

Philadelphia, Pa. - The Holy Family University women's basketball team won its second straight Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship after defeating Caldwell College by the score of 66-56 in the conference finals hosted by the University of the Sciences Saturday afternoon at Bobby Morgan Arena. 

 
Holy Family, ranked fifth in the recent USA Today/ESPN NCAA Division II National Top-25 Coaches' Poll and fourth in the East Region, improves to 27-2 overall after winning its 15th straight game.  Caldwell, the top-seeded team from the North Division, concludes its season at 19-12.  Prior to the loss, the Cougars had won 15 straight games.
 
The victory also earned the CACC's automatic qualifying bid into the NCAA Division II Tournament.  The Tigers will be making their tenth straight appearance and will await Sunday's NCAA Selection Show to find out their opponent in next week's East Regional. 
 
Senior Erin Mann (West Chester, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) was named the Championship's Most Valuable Player for the second straight year after scoring a game-high 26 points.  Mann also recorded nine rebounds and blocked five shots.  Senior Kelly Brady (Ocean City, N.J./Ocean City) recorded her eighth double-double of the season after scoring 11 points and grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds.  Fellow classmate Ana Cruz (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) also scored in double-figures with 12 points.  Both Brady and Cruz joined Mann on the CACC All-Tournament team.
 
For Caldwell, senior Torey Jones led the team with 20 points and was named to the All-Tournament team.  Junior Jeanette Anderson was also named to the All-Tournament team as she finished with eight points and eight rebounds. 
 
Holy Family trailed by as many as 11 points late in the first half after a jumper by Nicole Angelo gave Caldwell a 36-25 lead with 1:11 to play in the half.  The Cougars would go on to take a 36-27 advantage into the locker rooms at halftime.
 
In the second half, Holy Family began chipping away at the Caldwell lead and eventually tied the game midway through the half.  Junior Katie Duma (Poestenkill, N.Y./Averill Park) scored a layup basket to make the score 45-45.  Duma finished the game with nine rebounds. 
 
Holy Family grabbed the lead later in the half after Mann split a pair of free throws to make the score 50-49 in favor of the Tigers with 7:10 left to play.  The lead would be short lived as Caldwell scored on its next possession. 
 
As the half progressed, Holy Family regained the lead with 3:48 to play after senior Molly Hanlon (Narberth, Pa./Lower Merion) converted a pair of free throws to give the Tigers a 54-53 lead.  Hanlon's free throws turned into a 14-3 run to close out the game as Holy Family secured the victory down the stretch. 
 
The championship victory marked Holy Family's seventh title overall after previously capturing the CACC Championship in 2012, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2002 and 2001. 
 

  - HFU -