WESTMINSTER, Md. - Catholic University women's basketball freshman Carly Mulvaney was named MVP of the Rebecca Martin Memorial Tip-Off Tournament as the Cardinals defeated host McDaniel in the championship Saturday, 45-43.

Catholic (2-0) captured its third title in the last four regular season tournaments after winning the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic hosted by York (Pa.) in 2019 as well as the Scotty Wood Tournament hosted by Muhlenberg. That year, the Cardinals started the season with seven consecutive wins in the month of November.

In the first two games of her career, Mulvaney averaged 11.0 points and 7.0 rebounds, both team highs. She had four three-pointers and shot 44.4 percent from behind the arc. She was joined on the all-tournament team by junior Amelia Baldo.

On Saturday, it was the tandem of Mulvaney and senior Luca Mamula who led the Cardinals to victory. Mulvaney had 12 points and seven rebounds while Mamula added 12 points and six rebounds.

The game was back-and-forth with neither team leading by more than five points.

McDaniel (1-1) led 32-31 entering the fourth quarter before a basket by Meggie Burgess gave the Green Terror their largest lead of the game, 38-35 with 6:20 remaining.

However, that would be the team's last made basket until Natalie Mehl scored with 44 seconds left. During that five and a half-minute drought, Catholic used a 7-0 run to match its largest lead, 44-39 with 2:11 to play following a jumper by Mamula.

Mehl's basket pulled McDaniel within three before a layup by Mallory Conroy cut the deficit to 44-43 with less than five seconds remaining.

Senior Amanda Johnson hit the second of two free throws to put the Cardinals in front by two with two seconds remaining and the Green Terror could not get off another shot as Catholic posted its third-straight win in the series.

Baldo finished with eight points and three rebounds while Johnson had five points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

The Cardinals continue their five-game road trip to open the 2021-22 season on Tuesday when they head to Salisbury for a 6 p.m. tip-off with the Sea Gulls.