HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. – Centenary College was denied its first 3-0 start in Colonial States Athletic Conference women's basketball play since the 2009-10 season as Gwynedd Mercy knocked off the Cyclones 65-55 on Wednesday night at the John M. Reeves Student Recreation Center.
 
Centenary lost its fourth-straight game, falling to 4-7 (2-1 CSAC), while the Griffins upped their record to 5-8 (2-2 CSAC). The Cyclones had won their first two league games by an average of 48 points.
 
Freshman forward Mallory George (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Governor Livingston) collected her third double-double of the year, tallying 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while grabbing 13 rebounds. She scored 15 of those points during the final 20 minutes.
 
Centenary used a 9-0 run sparked by a George jumper to get out to an early 11-5 lead, but the Griffins responded with a 16-2 surge to grab an eight-point edge. Freshman forward Melissa Rabe (Byram, N.J./Lenape Valley) sank a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left in the half to cut the deficit to four; however, Nicole Dougherty's layup just before the buzzer sent Gwynedd Mercy into the locker rooms in front 26-20.
 
The Griffins built a lead as large as 14 following Kelsey Yori's triple at the 11:07 mark of the second half.
 
Sophomore guard Ally Fugnitti (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Wood-Ridge) ignited a 17-4 run for the Cyclones with a three-pointer, helping Centenary claw back into the game. George scored eight points during the comeback, including a layup with 5:55 remaining, pulling Centenary with one at 50-49.
 
The Griffins locked down defensively, holding the Cyclones without a basket over the next 4:26 as they pushed their lead back to nine.
 
George halted GMU's momentum with a pair of buckets, but it was too late for Centenary. The Griffins connected on 5-of-6 free throws during the final 51 seconds to secure the triumph.
 
The Cyclones shot nearly 41 percent (22-54) from the field, while limiting Gwynedd Mercy to 32 percent shooting (19-59) and held a 47-34 on the glass, but were hurt by 30 turnovers.
 
Fugnitti tallied eight points and seven boards, while senior Klarissa Perry (Englewood, N.J./Dwight Morrow) and freshman Kelsey Barofski (White Township, N.J./Belvidere) both added six points and nine boards.
 
GMU, which scored 31 points off of Centenary miscues and added 16 second-chance points, was paced by Dougherty's game-high 20 points. Dougherty made 6-of-12 field goal attempts and connected on 8-of-12 free throw tries. The Griffins made 29 trips to the charity stripe, compared to just 12 for the Cyclones.
 
Centenary looks to get back in the win column Saturday when it visits Cabrini at 2:00 pm.