HAMILTON, N.Y. (01/09/2007)—Colgate junior Shevorne Martin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) turned in an impressive all-around performance with a career-high matching 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds to lead the women’s basketball team to a 64-57 victory over Lafayette College this evening on Cotterell Court. The Raiders have beaten the Leopards in each of the past nine meetings.

 

Colgate snaps a 14-game skid to improve to 2-15 overall and 1-1 in Patriot League play with the win, while Lafayette falls to 3-13 overall and 1-1 in league action.

 

Junior guard Melanie Cargle (Trotwood, Ohio) knocked down a season-high 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting for Colgate to lead all scorers. Vanessa Van De Venter and Jessica Spicer both had 12 points to lead Lafayette.

 

Martin knocked down a jumper at 14:10 in the first half to put Colgate ahead for good in the game at, 9-8. The Raiders continued to knock down their shots in the opening frame, pushing the lead to as many as eight points, 32-24. Colgate took a 33-27 lead into the break, closing the half with 65 percent shooting from the floor.

 

Colgate stretched its halftime advantage to 10 points, 45-35, early in the second half, but Lafayette responded with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to three. The Raiders answered right back with an 11-3 run to take their largest lead of the game at, 56-45, with five minutes remaining in the second half.

 

The Leopards picked up the pressure on the Raiders, scoring seven points in the next 30 seconds off of three Colgate turnovers to cut the lead to four points, 56-52. Freshman Katie Garman (Poplar Grove, Ill.) got three points the old fashioned way on the next possession, knocking down a layup and the ensuing free throw to make it a three-possession game with three minutes left to play.

 

Colgate continued its steady play down the stretch, hitting three out of four shots from the charity stripe in the final two minutes to hold off the charging Leopards, 64-57.

 

Garman finished with nine points and three rebounds, while sophomore Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) led all rebounders with eight boards. Junior Caitlin Gillard (Vestal, N.Y.) pulled down seven caroms and had two blocks on the night. Colgate shot a season-high 58.1 percent from the floor and dominated the glass 35-19.

 

Lafayette’s Emily Garner and Val Gomez both contributed 11 points apiece and both pulled in a team-high four rebounds each. Lafayette shot 38.9 percent from the field for the game.

 

Colgate hits the road for its next contest at Patriot League foe American (6-10, 1-0 PL) on Jan. 13 at 12 p.m.