Box Score
IMMACULATA, Pa. – Chrissy Esbensen scored 19 points as Immaculata University held off visiting Baptist Bible, 57-47, at Alumnae Hall in a CSAC women’s basketball game Saturday afternoon.
Immaculata improves to 11-8 overall and 6-5 in the CSAC. Baptist Bible falls to 3-13 and 2-8 in the CSAC.
Baptist Bible, which trailed by nine at the half, eventually crawled back to within one (48-47) with 2:52 remaining. However, a 3-pointer from Esbensen sparked a 9-0 run by the Mighty Macs to close out the contest.
Immaculata hit six of its last eight foul shots in the final two minutes to keep Baptist Bible at bay. Esbensen scored five of her game-high 19 in that final stretch, hitting a pair of foul shots to go along with her 3-pointer.
Leah Kuczynski and Chelsea McTigue each scored 10 points apiece for the Mighty Macs. Kuczynski added 14 rebounds to record a double-double and also blocked four shots.
Laura Hodupp led Baptist Bible with 18 points and nine rebounds. The Defenders misfired on all 11 3-point shots in the game and shot just 26.1 percent (18 of 69) from the floor.
Esbensen’s layup at the 11:53 mark of the first half erased a five-point lead by the Defenders and put the Mighty Macs on top for good, 12-11. Baptist Bible had taken an 11-6 lead early on in the game. However, Erin McBride hit a layup, and Janine Mullin converted a pair of free throws, before Esbensen put the hosts up for good.
That was part of a 15-2 run that gave Immaculata a 21-13 advantage with six minutes remaining in the first half. Esbensen fueled that run with five points while Kuczynski potted four in the spurt.
Immaculata is back in action next Saturday when the Mighty Macs host Gwynedd-Mercy at 2 p.m. at Alumnae Hall.