Felician Athletics - 2/4/10 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL - Cleaves Sets Assist Record As Felician Breaks Caldwell Hex

RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Felician College women’s basketball team defeated Caldwell College for the first time in the last 11 meetings between the schools, downing the visiting Cougars, 79-70 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division action Thursday evening at Job Gymnasium. Junior guard Tierra Cleaves (Paterson, NJ/John F. Kennedy) set a Felician record with 14 assists.

Janelle Biamonte (Secaucus, NJ/Marist) sparked the Golden Falcons by canning five of six three-point field-goal attempts and scoring a game-high 21 points with five assists. Quay Baskerville (Hartford, CT/Bulkeley) joined four Felician double-figure scorers with 18 points, and Jessica Ford (Jersey City, NJ/St. Anthony) recorded a season-high 13 points and seven rebounds. The Golden Falcons defeated Caldwell for the first time since Dec. 11, 2004.

Despite an early 11-1 Felician lead, the first half was tied five times before a late Cleaves lay-up gave the Golden Falcons a 33-31 halftime lead. Still ahead by four with 14 minutes, 39 seconds to play, the hosts went on a 16-1 run to open up a 64-45 bulge at the 10:35 mark. Caldwell (10-10, 6-7) closed to within a seven-point deficit on three occasions, the last time with 3:06 remaining, before Felician stopped the comeback attempt. Felician shot 58 percent from the field in the decisive second half and 50 percent for the night.

Cleaves added six points to her record assist total before fouling out with fewer than five minutes to play. Freshman Tye Simmonds (Vineland, NJ/Sacred Heart) added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Golden Falcons. Freshman Torey Jones (North Providence, RI/LaSalle Academy) scored 20 points and Kirsty Leedham (Ellesmere Port, England/Cheshire Academy) picked up 18 for the Cougars.

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