GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- Gwynedd Mercy led from start to finish, holding off Cabrini, 55-53, for their fifth win in a row in a tense CSAC matchup Wednesday night at The Griffin Complex.

The Griffins (18-4, 12-1 CSAC) survived not one, not two, but three potential go-ahead buckets from the Cavaliers in their final possession, including one at the buzzer to help move closer to clinching a first-round playoff bye and a shot at the top seed in the CSAC Tournament.

Senior Olivia Bradford scraped together a game-high 17 points while junior Nicole Dombrowski added 12 points and nine rebounds.

Sabrina Hackendorn totaled 12 points for Cabrini (13-9, 10-3 CSAC), who also got 10 points each from Meghan Decker, Dana Peterson, and Mo O'Connell.

Both teams had trouble scoring in the first half, as GMercyU battled to a 14-10 lead after one. Gwynedd held Cabrini to just four points in the second quarter and would take a 22-14 edge into the half. O'Connell's layup would tie the game at 14-14 with 5:53 before intermission as the Griffins scored eight-straight points to close out the first half.

In the third, the lead grew to big as nine (35-26) with just 1:30 on a three-pointer from Bradford, her only longball of the contest.

Up six in the fourth, the Cavaliers pulled within three on a three-point play from Martin. After a Griffin turnover, O'Connell hit from the field to get Cabrini to 41-40 with 7:28 in the game.

With the Griffins leading by one with under a minute, Bradford would hit a tough jumper in the paint with the shot clock under five for a 54-51 advantage. After a Cabrini timeout, Hackendorn would put back a missed three-pointer to cut the lead to one with 29 ticks left. Bradford would be fouled on the inbound where she hit one of two for a two-point lead. On the Cavaliers last possession, Peterson would miss from downtown, but Kate Skalski grabbed the rebound,  made a pass, then set up for a three-pointer. Her attempt was rebounded by Dombrowski, but her momentum caused her to fall to the floor and a travelling violation.

The ensuing turnover gave Cabrini another chance, but O'Connell's attempt in the lane was no good to give GMercyU the win and the season sweep of the Cavaliers.

Despite the defensive battle, the Griffins were good on 19-of-24 chances at the free-throw line (79%) compared to Cabrini's 11-for-19 (57%) performance.

The Griffins hit just four three pointers, two from Charlotte Kucowski, and one each from Bradford and Chandler DiFebbo. Kucowski would finish with six points, seven boards, and a pair of blocked shots before fouling out in the fourth.

Gwynedd Mercy plays at Centenary on Saturday and with a win, can clinch at least a first-round playoff bye.