LANGHORNE, Pa. – The Cairn University women's basketball team lost, 72-65, at home in a non-conference bout against Penn State Brandywine in Cairn's final non-conference game of the season on Friday evening. 
 

Cairn (8-11, 6-6 CSAC) had the offense working early, scoring 24 first-quarter points, boosted by 10 points in the frame by freshman Tamia Warner (Ewing, NJ / Ewing), to take a 24-15 lead over Penn State Brandywine (8-15, 4-9 PSUAC) at the end of one. The Highlanders continued the offensive output in the second quarter, increasing the lead to their largest of the contest at 17 (34-17) midway through the stanza after a triple by senior Markie Watson (Jupiter, FL / Holy Cross Academy) with 5:41 to play. The Nittany Lions cut into the lead slightly and trailed by 14 (41-27) at the half.
 

In the third, the Highlanders still held a comfortable ten-point lead (53-43) at the 2:53 mark, but that is where Brandywine began to mount their comeback, rattling off the final eight points of the period to cut the deficit to two (54-52) heading into the fourth. On the first possession of the fourth, the Nittany Lions took their first lead since the first quarter with a three-ball and controlled the momentum for most of the final frame, leading by seven (67-60) with 2:46 to play. Warner attempted to get the Highlanders back into it with a triple on the next possession to cut the lead to four (67-63), but the offense stalled down the stretch and the Nittany Lions held on for the victory.
 

Cairn shot 32.1% (25-78) from the floor in the contest compared to 34.7% (25-72) for the Nittany Lions. Both teams matched each other in rebounds (51-51), assists (18-18) and turnovers (15-15). Cairn's 18 assists were the most they've dished out in a game this season. Both teams posted quality marks from long range, with Cairn hitting 37.5% (9-24) of its threes (most threes in a game this season), while Brandywine converted on 30.6% (11-36) of their shots from beyond the arc.
 

Cairn was led by Warner, who poured in a career-high 21 points and four three-pointers to go along with seven rebounds and a pair of blocks. Senior Dakota Hitchner (Ocean City, NJ / Atlantic Christian) followed with 14 points and notched game-highs with six assists and six steals, while Watson contributed 12 points on four triples and grabbed seven rebounds.
 

Cairn will be back in action tomorrow when it returns to Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play on the road against Rosemont College, looking for the season-sweep against the Ravens at 1 p.m.