Langhorne, PA - In the 2012-2013 season opener, the Cairn Highlanders dropped a 60-96 decision to a competitive and deep Rutgers-Camden team.
Box Score
The Scarlet Raptors used 16 different players over the course of 40 minutes, compared to the Highlanders 6. Five different Raptors reached double figures, led by Brittany Turner and Alex Gravinese who each had 16 points. Lilian Chukwueze finished with 15 and Courtney Luongo followed just behind with 14 points. Alex Koutras had 10 points.
None, however, could match Cairn's inside-out tandem of
Hannah McCardle and
Haley Weber. Weber had a game-high 23 points, draining 9 field goals. She was 4-of-8 from beyond the three-point line. McCardle had 17 points on 6-of-15 shooting and 5-for-6 on the free-throw line. She also tied for the game-high of 5 rebounds.
Four Highlanders were making their college basketball debuts tonight. Volleyball star,
Erin Greenwood proved quite aggressive in the paint, grabbing 4 offensive rebounds, 5 overall, and going 2-for-3 from the field. True freshmen
Amie Eppolito,
Emily Tambussi, and
Regina Younger also showed signs of potential and things to come this season. Eppolito displayed an ability to create scoring opportunities for herself and her teammates in running the point and setting the pace for the offense. She logged 14 points with the help of two three-pointers and 4-for-9 shooting overall. Despite only tallying 2 points on the night, Tambussi had a presence in the paint and will use the freshman learning curve to make an impact this season. In who looks to be a defensice specialist, Regina Younger demonstrated the intensity and athleticism that could make her an effective shutdown player for Cairn this year.
The Highlanders were outrebounded 31-16 as second-chance points proved costly. First-year coach Walt Zamroz will surely address his team's play down low in the trenches in the early going of the season.
Despite the lopsided final score, the second half was a fairly even affair. The Scarlet Raptors held a 58-27 lead at halftime, but in the final 20 minutes, only outscored the host 38-33.
Cairn will look to bounce back against Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham on Tuesday, November 20th. Tip-off is set for 7pm in the Mason Activity Center.
