Allentown, PA – The Highlanders improved to 5-10 in the conference on Wednesday evening after defeating the Falcons of Cedar Crest College by a score of 50-45. Cairn came back from a nine-point deficit near the end of the third quarter to score 18 points in the fourth quarter and take the win.
 
Aigner Bookard and Kendra Stum both finished with double-doubles in the game to lead the Highlanders. Bookard scored 16 points and added 10 rebounds, while Stum put up 11 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Amie Eppolito finished with 12 points for Cairn.
 
Tenille Stewart led the scoring for Cedar Crest with 20 points on 6-16 shooting from three, followed by Rianna Kinard with 13 points. Shemeca Thompson led the rebounding effort for the Falcons with 11.
 
Cairn led the game at the end of the first quarter, 15-7, but the Highlanders were outscored in the second and third quarters 16-6 and 16-11, respectively. The Highlanders made their biggest push of the game after being down by seven points with just 5:33 left in the game.
 
The Falcons continued to lead by five, 45-40, until there was just 1:32 left to play. Payton Emerick then came away with a steal and a made layup to cut the lead to three. Kendra Stum then made one of two free throws but grabbed the offensive rebound and tied the game at 45-45 on a jumper with 48 seconds to go.
 
Aigner Bookard stole the ball from the Falcons on the next possession and put in the layup on the fastbreak to give the Highlanders the lead 47-45. Bookard was fouled on the play and converted the old-fashioned three point play. Amie Eppolito added the final two points with two made free-throws down the stretch.
 
The Falcons had a chance to tie the game at 48-48 but the three-point attempt was blocked by Payton Emerick and the rebound was grabbed by Eppolito. Eppolito was fouled while getting the rebound, which sent her to the free-throw line.
 
Cairn improved to 6-18 overall with the win, while Cedar Crest remained winless on the season with the loss (0-24, 0-15). The Highlanders will finish out the season this Saturday, Feb. 20, when they host Immaculata University.