RADNOR, Pa. – On a night when cold rain fell throughout much of the Mid-Atlantic, it was cold shooting that cost The University of Scranton women's basketball team. 

The Lady Royals shot just 30.8 percent from the field, including 2-for-17 from 3-point range, and Cabrini used an 8-0 spurt early in the second half to hand Scranton a 61-57 loss at Nerney Field House on Tuesday night.

Scranton (2-2) held a 33-30 lead at halftime, but managed just 24 second-half points on 10-for-34 shooting (29.4 percent), including one of 11 (9.1 percent) from beyond the arc. The Cavaliers (4-1) took advantage with that 8-0 run that gave them a 45-38 lead with 12 minutes to play. 

Cabrini never trailed the rest of the way, building the lead to 11 with a little less than four minutes to play. Scranton got within two in the final minute before the Cavaliers sealed the victory with a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining.

Junior forward Meredith Mesaris (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) led Scranton with a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds, her second double-double of the season and fourth of her career. Freshman forward Sarah Payonk (Schwenksville, Pa./Spring-Ford) added 12 points, five rebounds, four blocks and two steals, and junior point guard Lindsay Fluehr (Bensalem, Pa./Nazareth Academy) had 11 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists. 

That trio combined to shoot 17-for-35 (48.5 percent) while the rest of the Scranton lineup went just 3-for-30 (10 percent) from the field.

Scranton continued its strong free throw shooting, hitting 15 of 19 (78.9 percent), including 12 of 16 in the opening 20 minutes. 

Junior forward Amber Keys (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) led four Cabrini players in double figures with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in 21 minutes off the bench. The Cavaliers shot 34.3 percent (23-for-67) from the field.

Both teams committed 14 turnovers and Scranton won the rebounding battle, 51-46. 

Scranton returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 7, when it opens Landmark Conference play against Susquehanna at 4 p.m. in Selinsgrove, Pa.

--ROYALS--