BALTIMORE – Samantha Widmann finished with a career-high 19 points but it wasn't enough as Loyola closed the second quarter on a 22-9 run to put the game out of reach en route to a 78-63 victory in both teams' season openers this afternoon at Reitz Arena.
 
After graduating all five starters from last season's squad, the Big Red showed flashes of brilliance but couldn't sustain the consistent play necessary to combat the hot-shooting Greyhounds. Widmann, the only returning Big Red player to average more than 10 minutes per game a year ago, also finished with a game-high nine rebounds, helping the visitors to a 38-22 advantage on the boards.
 
Every healthy Cornell player saw the court and all but two found their way into the scorebook. In addition to Widmann's big day, senior Christine Ehland also registered a career-high with 10 points, as did Dylan Higgins (7), while Caroline Shelquist chipped in eight points.  
 
Loyola (1-0) was led by Stephanie Karcz's 25 points, while freshman Izzy Therien (18) and Bri Betz-White (13) both finished in double figures.
 
Cornell shot just .382 overall (21-55) and a mere .188 from 3-point range (3-16), while the Greyhounds knocked down .580 percent of their shots (29-50) and .300 percent from beyond the arc (3-10). Both teams struggled to keep hold of the ball, as the Big Red turned it over 28 times and Loyola finished with 25 miscues.
 
It was a slow start or the Big Red, with seven turnovers in the first 6:30 of the contest accounting for a 20-14 deficit at the end of the first quarter. Cornell came out pressing to begin the second quarter and scored eight unanswered points to knot the game at 22-22 at the 7:48 mark. During the run, Widmann registered four points to go over double-digits for the game, while Higgins came up with a steal near half court and finished on the other end for her first collegiate points.  
 
Following that basket an official timeout stopped the game for more than five minutes and the home team regrouped and closed the half on a 22-9 run to take a 44-31 lead into halftime.
 
Loyola pushed its lead to as many as 29 points in the waning moments of the third quarter. Cornell used a late push to get back within 13 points (76-63) with just over one minute to play, but that was as good as it would get as Loyola earned the 78-63 victory.
 
The Big Red remains on the road to travel to Pitt on Monday, Nov. 13 for an 11 a.m. contest.