PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. – The Cairn University women's basketball team lost, 61-54, on the road against Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) foe the University of Valley Forge on Saturday afternoon, splitting the season series with the Patriots.
 
Valley Forge (5-15, 3-12 CSAC) had its offense clicking early, pouring in 19 first-quarter points to take a 19-10 lead over Cairn (4-18, 2-14 CSAC) at the end of one. Both offenses stalled in the second frame, combining for just 12 second-quarter points, and the Patriots took a 25-16 lead into intermission.
 
Cairn responded effectively out of the break. Trailing by 12 at the 1:30 mark of the third period, the Highlanders rattled off six-straight points to close the stanza and cut the deficit to just six (39-33) entering the fourth. Cairn got the Valley Forge advantage down the one possession (55-52) with 1:17 to play, but the Patriots knocked down their free throws in the remaining seconds to secure the victory.
 
Valley Forge posted a 42.9% (21-49) mark from the field compared to a 34.6% (18-52) percentage for Cairn. Valley Forge led in rebounding (37-23), while Cairn forced 26 Patriot turnovers in the bout.
 
Cairn was led a pair of sophomores in Taylor Hinson (Carney's Point, NJ / Collingswood HS) and Tamia Warner (Ewing, NJ / Ewing HS), who each tallied a team-high 20 points. Warner and Hinson finished with seven and six rebounds, respectively, and Warner added five assists, one shy of classmate Kailee Sobrino's (Tucson, AZ / Empire HS) game-high six.
 
The Highlanders will conclude their two-game road swing on Wednesday, February 15, when they head to Allentown to take on conference adversary Cedar Crest College at 7 p.m.