Immaculata, PA – Cairn University women's basketball won their second game of the year on Thursday night with a 63-58 win over Immaculata University. The win was also the team's second conference win of the season, after having beaten Cedar Crest College earlier in the year.
 
Since joining the CSAC, Cairn had not beaten Immaculata in women's basketball until this game.
 
Amie Eppolito led the Highlanders with 22 points overall, followed by Aigner Bookard with 11. Eppolito shot 7-23 from the field with 5-13 coming from three-point range. Bookard finished 5-12 overall with 1-2 from the three-point line.
 
The difference in rebounds helped push the Highlanders over the Mighty Macs as they grabbed 55 total. Two Highlanders in particular pulled down a majority of the team's boards—Kendra Stum (17) and Payton Emerick (14).
 
Stum has recently returned from an injury that sidelined her since last season and her impact on the team is quickly showing. Emerick has steadily increased in performance since the start of the season; both players scored nine points in the game as well, just short of the double-double.
 
Reilly Larkin and Gina Cocci, who each scored 15 points, led the Mighty Macs in scoring. Tamyra Laws led Immaculata in rebounding by nabbing 13 in the game.
 
The two teams traded the lead from the first to the second quarter, with the Highlanders leading 14-11 after the first quarter but the Mighty Macs leading a the half 30-28. Cairn used a 20-point third quarter to go ahead by two points and then held on in the fourth quarter and win by five.
 
The Mighty Macs had their opportunities to tie the game or go ahead with less than three minutes to play but missed their last 10 shots of the game. Cairn also missed shots that would have given a bigger lead but the Highlanders made enough to keep them ahead and take the victory.
 
With the win, Cairn improved to 2-8 overall and 2-2 in the conference. Immaculata dropped to 2-9 overall and 2-2 in the conference with the loss. The Highlanders will next travel to Keystone College on Saturday, Jan. 9, to take on the Giants.