BETHLEHEM, Pa. (1/16/2007)—Colgate junior Melanie Cargle (Trotwood, Ohio) recorded a game-high 22 points, but it was not enough as the Raiders fell at Lehigh University, 62-53, in Patriot League women’s basketball action this evening at Stabler Arena. Melissa Rich led the Mountain Hawks with 11 points and eight rebounds in the contest.

 

Colgate drops to 2-17 overall and 1-3 against Patriot League foes, while Lehigh moves to 6-12 and 1-3 in the conference. Freshman Katie Garman (Poplar Grove, Ill.) matched her career-high 13 points and pulled down five rebounds.

 

The first half featured a group of small runs by both teams as Lehigh headed into the locker room ahead, 31-23. After a set of four lead changes in the opening six minutes, Lehigh used an 8-0 run to pull away 16-8. 

 

Cargle responded by scoring eight points for the Raiders in an 8-2 stretch that pulled Colgate within two at 18-16. The Raiders kept it within two possessions until the Mountain Hawks closed the half by outscoring Colgate 8-2 in the final 4:13 for the eight-point halftime lead.

 

The Mountain Hawks jumped all over the Raiders to start the second half. Lehigh scored the first nine points to increase its lead to 17 points, 40-23, and held Colgate without a field goal for the first 5:02.

 

Lehigh went back ahead by as many as 19 points, 44-25, before Colgate went on a 9-1 run to cut it to 11 points. Garman scored seven straight points in that stretch.

 

The Mountain Hawks went back in front by 15, before Colgate cut it to 11 again at the 3:12 mark. Lehigh wouldn’t let the Raiders back into the game, handling the Colgate pressure down the stretch to earn the nine-point victory.  

 

Junior Caitlin Gillard (Vestal, N.Y.) provided a career-high six assists and added six points. Sophomore Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) led the team in rebounding with eight boards and dropped in six points.

 

The Mountain Hawks got 10 points apiece from Haly Crites, Sara Ellis, and Alex Ross. Adrienne Blount added six points and a team-high eight caroms.

 

Colgate shot 36.4 percent from the floor for the game, while Lehigh was 43.4 percent from the field. The Raiders controlled the boards, winning the battle on the glass 41-34.

 

Colgate returns to action on Jan. 20, hosting Bucknell University on Cotterell Court. That game is set to tip off at 1 p.m.