WASHINGTON, D.C. – Cairn Women's Basketball headed to Washington D.C. for their season opener against Trinity Washington University on Saturday, tipping off their season with a 48-34 win.
Senior guard Kailee Sobrino (Vail, AZ / Empire High School) started off the game by draining a 3-pointer within the first minute of the game as sophomore guard Ella Quince (Morrisville, PA / Morrisville) followed her lead making both of her free throws, bringing the Highlanders to a 5-point lead. Quince had an offensive rebound to set Sobrino up for another shot in the paint. Sophomore forward Dezaray Bright (Keystone Heights / Keystone Heights) was fouled, bringing two more points to Highlander's scoreboard with a pair of free throws, keeping Cairn (1-0) in the lead, 9-4. With a blocked shot by Quince, the dynamic duo of she and Sobrino scored another two points, followed by Quince's steal and layup, ahead 13-6 to end the first frame.
Entering into the second quarter, Quince and Sobrino knocked down two shots apiece, with a steal from Robinson to assist Quince continued to bring the lead above the Tigers now at 23-13. Junior guard Tatiana Ipri (Mullica Hill, NJ / Gloucester County Christian) drained both of her free throws and to finish off the second quarter, Sobrino knocked down another 2 points with the Highlanders ahead by twelve at the half.
After the break, the Highlanders rushed on with their momentum, giving Sobrino a fastbreak layup, putting them ahead by fourteen now before Bright sent a jumper through the net Ending the scores for the third quarter, Sobrino lays a jump shot in the basket. Trinity (0-1) was able to narrow the lead to six in the closing seconds of the third quarter, trailing Cairn 33-27.
As the final quarter got underway, Bright picked up an offensive rebound, tipping in the layup for two more as Sobrino added another make to get the lead back to double figures. The Highlanders ran on the fast break, with Quince on the run, racking up five points for herself in under two minutes. Senior guard Abi Whitmore (Candor, NY / Little Tree) got in the scoring column, giving Cairn their biggest lead of the game at 16 (46-31). Quince assisted Sobrino for another jump shot to put the lead out of reach as the horn sounded on the Highlanders' first win of the new season.
Sobrino finished with 26 points with two triples and three steals. Quince was also in double figures with 12 points, four steals, and three blocked shots. Bright grabbed a team-high 9 rebounds, scoring six points. Cairn held the lead for the entire 40 minutes of play, scoring 11 points off of the fast break and 20 off of Trinity turnovers.
The Highlanders will continue their road trip, heading up to Centenary on Wednesday to face the Cyclones at 6 p.m.