GENESEO, N.Y. – The Cabrini women's basketball season came to an end tonight, as the No. 19 Cavaliers suffered a 60-57 loss to Muhlenberg College in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The loss ends the season at 24-4 overall, tied for the most wins in program history.
The loss also ends the decorated careers of senior Megan Decker and Amber Keys. The duo led the Blue and White to three consecutive CSAC titles, the first class in conference history to accomplish the feat. The pair own 84 career victories including a 57-7 mark in CSAC play.
Both also closed their careers among the program's statistical leaders. Keys ends her career with 1,250 points and 744 rebounds, both among the top six in program history, and her 110 blocked shots second. Decker's 80 7 points are good for 18th, while her 623 boards are tied for seventh.
Keys paced the Blue and White attack with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Decker paired 13 points with seven boards and four steals. Junior Kristina Startare added eight points and 10 rebounds, while classmate Dana Peterson tallied nine points.
Decker opened the action with a three pointer on Cabrini's first possession and the Cavaliers were off and running. Leading 20-17 at the 11:14 mark, junior Megan Martin's three pointer sent Cabrini off to a 12-0 run. A pair of Decker free throws put the Blue and White up 29-17 with just south of eight minutes to play.
The Cavaliers scored just two points in the final six minutes of the opening half, as Muhlenberg cut its deficit to 33-26 at the break.
Cabrini pushed its lead back to 12 points early in the Mules made their comeback. A Startare lay-up put the Cavaliers ahead 42-31 at the 16:51 mark. Over the next 9:30, Muhlenberg took control of the momentum with an 17-3 run, to take a 48-45 lead.
While another Startare bucket interrupted the run, the Mules scored the next eight points to take a 56-47 lead with 4:24 to play.
The Blue and White turned to its defense in the final minutes, as Startare, Keys and Decker scored in a Cabrini 6-0 run, cutting its deficit to 58-55 with 90 seconds on the clock. A Keys lay-up answered a Muhlenberg basket to keep the deficit at three points with 38 seconds left.
Things fell the Cavaliers' way in the final seconds, as Muhlenberg missed a pair of free throws, giving the Blue and White several chances but each shot went wayward until the final buzzer.
Senior Leanna Tallamy led the Mules (21-7) with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Janelle Fleet added 10 points in the win.
Muhlenberg will face the winner of the tonight's second game at SUNY Geneseo, between the host Knights and Castleton State College.