LANGHORNE, PA – Cairn Women's Basketball opened up conference play on Tuesday with their home opener, dropping the closely contested matchup 53-48.
 
Sophomore forward Emily Brittin (Winslow, NJ / The Pilgrim Academy) scored the first bucket for the Highlanders with senior guard Kailee Sobrino (Vail, AZ / Empire) adding a midrange and back-to-back triples to put Cairn (1-6 / 0-1 UNITED EAST) ahead by two possessions. The Patriots cut the lead in the closing minutes of the quarter, ending the frame tied at ten.
 
Valley Forge (2-5 / 1-0 UNITED EAST) took their first lead of the night out of the break with the momentum quickly swinging back in favor of the Highlanders with a layup by sophomore forward Dezaray Bright (Keystone Heights, FL / Keystone Heights) and tip in from senior guard Abi Whitmore (Candor, NY / Little Tree) to secure the lead. Bright and Whitmore each scored again with Brittin adding a layup. Whitmore then grabbed another offensive board and scored it. Bright would make two more jump shots to close out the half with Cairn in control, 28-25.
 
The Patriots grabbed the lead again, holding on through the first seven minutes of the second half before Brittin knocked down two free throws with another three coming from Sobrino. Brittin then got the ball in the post on the next possession, grabbing her own miss and getting fouled, scoring two at the free throw line. Bright added a layup with the lead at six as Valley Forge made a three in the final seconds to make it a one-possession game.
 
Cairn was held to four points in the fourth quarter as Valley Forge finished the game on a 14-4 run through the final eleven minutes, falling 53-48.
 
Sobrino finished with 15 points, three triples, 6 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Brittin and Bright each added 12 points, Brittin collecting her first collegiate double-double on 12 rebounds. Whitmore had 8 points, grabbing four offensive rebounds. Junior guard Tatiana Ipri (Mullica Hill, NJ / Gloucester County Christian) picked up a team-high four steals.
 
Cairn will host Bryn Athyn for their annual Christmas Game on Wednesday, tipping off at 5 p.m.