Box Score PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia University women's basketball team went into Sunday's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) contest at Holy Family with a 14-game losing streak against the Tigers in the Campus Center that dated back to 1978. Thanks to 17 points each from Bria Young (Philadelphia, Pa./Prep Charter) and Rachel Day (Horsham, Pa./Archbishop Wood), that streak is no more as the Rams pulled out a 75-70 road win over the Tigers.
Philadelphia improves to 7-5 overall and takes sole possession of first place in the CACC Southern Division with a perfect 5-0 conference record. The last time Philadelphia won at Holy Family was on Feb. 22, 1978 by an 89-19 score.
Tori Arnao (Newtown, Pa./Archbishop Wood) also earned a place in the Philadelphia University record book as she recorded 16 points to become the 31st player in program history to score 1,000 career points. Arnao added a game-high 14 rebounds and is 12 rebounds away from joining the school's 1,000-point/1,000-rebound club.
Mary Newell (Lansdale, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) posted 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Arnao's 1,000th career point, coming on a layup from the left block with 2:58 left in the contest, was the catalyst of a game-changing 7-0 run that put the Rams ahead 71-66. Four different players got into the scoring act for Philadelphia, while Holy Family (7-5, 3-1 CACC) committed three turnovers and missed both shot attempts.
The Tigers managed to get within three points twice in the final 50 seconds; however, the Rams responded each time making two free throws. Jessica Kaminski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Wood) went 2-for-2 with 42 seconds to go to make the score 73-68, and Young drained both of her attempts five seconds later to produce what would be the final score.
Philadelphia was in control after the first quarter as the Rams outscored the Tigers 18-6 over the final six minutes to lead 28-19. Day knocked down three 3-pointers to lead the surge with 11 points.
After Philadelphia's lead was cut to three by an Abigail Iannotti layup, the Rams scored 10 of the game's next 12 points, capped by 3-pointers from Kaminski and Day, to widen the gap to a game-high 13 points (42-29) with 3:27 left in the half. The Rams led at the break 43-36.
An Iannotti basket 1:27 into the final quarter put Holy Family in front for the first time since the first quarter, 56-55. Philadelphia went back up four (60-56) thanks to an Arnao lay-up, but Holy Family, with the help of five of Jill Conroy's team-high 15 points, reclaimed a 61-60 advantage.
Iannotti finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Tigers, who had five players in double-figure scoring.
Philadelphia now has nine days off before heading to Bloomsburg for a non-conference clash on Wednesday, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m.
