BETHLEHEM, Pa. (02/15/2006)—Lehigh University senior Jenny Callan scored a career-high 31 points to lift the Mountain Hawks to a 71-53 victory over visiting Colgate University in Patriot League women’s basketball action at Stabler Arena. Colgate sophomore Melanie Cargle (Trotwood, Ohio) led the Raiders with 15 points.

Lehigh snaps a seven-game losing streak and improves to 8-16 and 3-8 in league action, while the Raiders fall to 7-17 and 5-6 in conference play.

Lehigh scored the game’s first seven points and trailed just once in the opening half. The Raiders used an 8-0 run midway through to take a 23-22 lead, but the Mountain Hawks regained the lead on the next possession and never trailed again, taking a 33-29 advantage into the break.

Colgate shot 34.4 percent from the field in the opening half, including 100 percent from the charity stripe. Cargle led all Raiders with eight points at the half. Lehigh hit 38.7 percent of its shots in the opening frame and were led by Callan’s 10 points.

The Mountain Hawks picked up right where they left off in the second half, going on a 16-4 run to go up 55-39 at the 10:23 mark. Lehigh pushed its advantage to 19, 61-42, on a Callan layup with 8:54 on the clock and cruised to the 18-point victory.

Senior Megan Ballard (Atlanta, Ga.) added 11 points and three steals for the Raiders, while freshman Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) contributed nine points and 10 rebounds. Senior forward Devon Warwick (Amesbury, Mass.) pulled down a season-high 10 boards and knocked down seven points for Colgate.

The Raiders shot just 31.3 percent for the game, including 28.6 percent in the second half.

Sophomore Emily Geosits chipped in 16 points for the Mountain Hawks, while junior Adrienne Blount led Lehigh on the glass with 13 rebounds. Claire Sullivan dished out a career-high nine assists for the host team. Lehigh shot 56.7 percent in the second half and finished with a 47.5 shooting percentage for the game.

Colgate returns to action on Feb. 18, hosting Navy at 4 p.m. on Cotterell Court.