NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite a career-high 16 points for sophomore Samantha Will, Yale refused to let the Cornell women's basketball team (9-12, 2-7) come into the John J. Lee Amphitheater and leave with a victory, as the Bulldogs bested the Big Red, 65-51, on Friday night.

Ivy League teams have had Cornell's ticket all year when it comes to putting the ball in the basket from long range, as Yale shot 50.0% (8-of-16) from 3-point land, scoring 24 points from behind the arc as compared to Cornell's nine. This, combined with the foul trouble that the Big Red experienced throughout the contest, made the game an uphill battle for the Big Red. Cornell fought tooth and nail to keep things close, trailing by only five at the half, 32-27. Yale pulled away just enough to keep the Big Red out of striking distance in the second half, however, hitting big shots any time Cornell started to chip away at the Bulldog lead.

Yale shot 44.7% for the contest as compared to Cornell's 33.8% and effectively got to the free throw line, shooting 25 free throws as compared to the Big Red's five. This resulted from the Big Red's foul trouble, which played into the Bulldogs' hands.

In the face of this adversity, Will entered the game with poise and confidence, ready to shoot the basketball. She made her presence known the minute she stepped on the floor, sinking the first basket she took and shooting 4-of-5 from the floor in the first half, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc, en route to 10 first half points. Her first-half point total already surpassed her previous career-high of eight points that she notched against Harvard on March 8, 2019. Will finished the contest with a career-high 16 points, also chipping in a block and a steal.

Samantha Widmann joined will in double figures, scoring 12 points to go along with five rebounds and two steals. Four of Widmann's five rebounds were offensive, as she was a big reason why the Big Red bested Yale on the offensive glass, 14 to 3, and scored 14 second chance points as compared to the Bulldogs' two. Laura Bagwell-Katalinich and Theresa Grace Mbanefo also hit the boards hard, notching eight and six rebounds, respectively.

Shannon Mulroy led Cornell with four assists, tallying six points and five rebounds as well.

Yale was paced by Ellen Margaret Andrews, who scored a game-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, and paced three Bulldogs in double-figures. Roxy Barahman (15) and Camilla Emsbo (13) also amassed double-digit points.

The Cornell women's basketball team will be back in action tomorrow when it takes on Ivy League foe Brown at 5 p.m. at the Pizzitola Sports Center in Providence, R.I.