BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Sophomore Kylie Grant turned in a monster effort with 23 points, 21 rebounds, and seven assists, but the Pratt Institute women's basketball team suffered a 61-53 loss to Cairn University on Tuesday evening in their 2022-23 season and home opener at the Activities Resource Center.
Kinako Miyake also contributed 17 points and grabbed seven boards for the Cannoneers (0-1) and Natalie Graf added seven points, six boards and three steals.
In addition to Grant's near triple-double, Cairn (1-0) saw three Highlanders notch double-doubles led by Taylor Hinson's 23 points and 12 rebounds, Kyla Reciniello's 10 points and 12 boards, and Kailee Sobrino's 15 points and 10 assists.
Pratt took a 6-4 lead after a Miyake triple before the visitors scored eight straight and led at the first intermission, 12-8.
Grant powered a 6-0 run in the second that pulled the team within one, 20-19, and also secured her double-double with less than five minutes before halftime. Despite falling behind by nine, Pratt closed out the half on a 6-0 spurt to win the period and trailed by only three, 28-25.
An early Grant trifecta in the third shrank the deficit to one once again, 29-28, but Pratt later found themselves down by as many as 11 in the period and trailed 46-38 going to the fourth quarter.
The gold-and-black fought until the very end and a Graf fast-break layup off an Almudena Valenuela steal brought another one-possession game at 52-50 with 3:52 left, but they couldn't overtake the Highlanders as they scored the next nine points to pull away.
Behind Grant's 21 boards, Pratt won the battle on the glass, 53-39. Cairn shot 40 percent in the win and doubled up Pratt in paint scoring, 32-16.
Pratt returns to the hardwood on Saturday, November 12 facing the College of Mount Saint Vincent for a noon tip-off.
