ITHACA, N.Y. – Despite erasing a 15-point halftime deficit and getting season-best scoring performances from sophomore
Paige Engels and senior
Emily Pape, Cornell was defeated by Colgate 60-54, spoiling the Big Red home opener Tuesday night in non-conference action.
Engels and Pape paced the Cornell offense going 7-for-13 and 6-for-17 from the floor, respectively. Pape finished with a game-high nine rebounds, while junior
Rachel Kaus added eight points, four rebounds. The Big Red finished the contest shooting 37.5 percent from the field, including 46.7 percent during its second-half outburst.
Colgate was led by 15 points from Anne Bair, who finished 4-for-4 from 3-point range, and Ella Meabon, who went 7-for-12 from the field. Abby Ferguson added nine points and eight rebounds for the Raiders. Colgate finished the game shooting 47.8 percent from the floor and 76.9 percent from the line. The Raiders won the battle on the glass, 31-30.
With a 14-9 lead after 10-minutes of action, Colgate took control in the second quarter, outscoring Cornell 16-6 in the stanza to take a 30-15 lead into the break. The Raiders went 7-for-14 in the frame, with Meabon scoring six of her 15 to double up the Big Red.
The second half was a different story for the Big Red offensively, as Cornell worked its way within two, 43-41 by the end of the third. Pape propelled the Big Red comeback scoring 12 of the teams 26 points in the quarter, making all four of her shots, including two from three and a pair at the line.
Cornell would tie the game at 43 on its first possession of the fourth as Engels finished in the lane. From there, the two teams would trade baskets over the next five minutes leading to a 47-47 tie with 4:40 remaining.
Colgate would find its footing in the final 4:40, outscoring Cornell 16-7, seven of which came at the line for the Raiders, while Cornell finished the game 3-for-7 from the field.
Game Notes
- The Big Red fall to 23-20 all-time against Colgate and have now lost three-straight to the Raiders.
- Cornell took a season-high 56 field goal attempts.
- Engels finished with a season-high 18 points matching her season-high with seven field goals which she set at Canisius on Sunday, Nov. 16.
- Pape's 18 is a season-high for the senior and her 48th career game with double figures in the scoring column.
- Pape was a rebound shy of her seventh career double-double, matching her season-best with nine boards.
Next Up
Cornell will head to Syracuse, N.Y., on Saturday, Nov. 22 to take on Le Moyne, its first meeting with the Dolphins since 1989. The game is scheduled for a 4 p.m. tip on NEC FrontRow.
The Big Red lead the all-time series, 5-1.
