BURLINGTON, Vt. (11/18/2005)—The Colgate University women’s basketball team outscored the University of Vermont 39-32 in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome a 19-point first-half deficit as the Raiders dropped their season opener, 71-59, to the host Catamounts at the TD Banknorth Classic. Senior Meghan Curtin (Bronx, N.Y.) led all Colgate scorers with 15 points.

Vermont jumped all over the Raiders from the beginning, taking a 16-3 lead at the 15-19 mark. The Catamounts missed just two shots in that opening 4:41. Colgate pulled to within 10, 24-14, midway through the half on a pair of free throws from freshman Katherine McGarry (Salem, Ohio), but Vermont answered right back with a 13-2 run to go ahead 37-16 at the 4:01 mark.

Trailing by as many as 23, the Raiders cut the lead to 19 at the half. Colgate struggled with its shooting in the opening 20 minutes, knocking down just 7-of-26 shots from the field (26.9 percent), including going 0-of-7 from long range. The Catamounts shot 48.5 percent (16-of-33) to go into the locker room with a comfortable 19-point advantage.

Vermont maintained its lead throughout the beginning of the second session, leading by as many as 24 points. The Raiders would not go away as they made it a 17-point game on a 13-6 run with 5:51 left on the clock. Colgate continued to chip away, but it proved to be too little too late.

Sophomore Melanie Cargle (Trotwood, Ohio) chipped in 10 points off the bench for the Raiders, while freshman Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) had a team-best 11 boards. McGarry posted eight points and nine rebounds in her first collegiate game. All eight players scored for the Raiders as they finished the evening shooting 37.7 percent from the field.

The Catamounts were paced by Alexis Castro’s game-high 23 points on 11-of-13 shooting. Jill Rademacher contributed 14 points, while Brittney Cross recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 caroms.

Colgate takes on William & Mary in the second day of the TD Banknorth Classic on Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. The Tribe fell to Pittsburgh, 76-49, in the tournament’s opening game.