EASTON, Pa. (2/11/09) - Tayler Wejnert (Ramsey, N.J.) led the Raiders with 16 points, on their way to a 62-61 victory against Patriot League opponent Lafayette on Wednesday night at the Allan P. Kirby Sports Center.
Freshman Kelly Korkowski (Williamsburg, Va.) had a career-high 11 points and classmate Candice Green (East Brunswick, N.J.) added 10 points in the Raiders first conference win of the season. Senior Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) contributed a game-high 10 rebounds for Colgate.
The Raiders (5-19, 1-8 PL) jumped out to an early 8-4 lead four minutes into the game after Polinski and Green both knocked in a three-pointer. Lafayette's Emily Garner put in a lay-up and the extra point to make it 12-10 and Cristin Zavocki followed with a long-range shot to give the Leopards (8-16, 2-7 PL) the lead, 13-12 with 11:42 on the clock.
Colgate then went on a 13-1 run, spanning the next 5 minutes to gain an 11 point advantage, 25-14. Lafayette cut the lead to 7 with 3:41 on the clock, but the Raiders held on to the lead to head into the half with a three point advantage 34-31, after Sami Kozlowski (New Market, Md.) put in a basket in the final 2 seconds of the session.
Colgate shot 41.9 percent (13-31) in the first half and 44.4 percent (4-9) from three-point range. Lafayette finished the half on 46.2 percent (12-26) shooting from the field and went 3-6 (50 percent) from behind the arc. Both teams had 17 boards in the half.
The Raiders opened the second half by gaining a 10 point lead, 41-31, as Kozlowski scored four points in the first three and a half minutes. Lafayette fought back going on a 8-0 run, led by Garner with three consecutive baskets, to make it a two point game, 41-39, with 11:57 remaining. The next several minutes were back-and-forth with two lead changes and four ties over the next six minutes.
The Raiders finally gained a four point lead with a good three-pointer from Polinski to make it 57-53 with 3:42 left on the clock. Colgate gained an eight point lead after Korkowski knocked down a jumper to make it 61-53. The Leopards once again fought back to cut that lead to two, after a good long-range shot from Zavocki made it 61-59. Kozlowski then went 1-1 on the free throw line to give the Raiders a three point lead, 62-59. Jessica Spicer, the Leopards leading scorer, put in a lay-up to cut the lead to one 62-61 with 17 seconds left and Zavocki missed a last second free throw as Colgate held on for the win.
Spicer led Lafayette with 17 points, while Garner added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Leopards. Zavocki contributed 14 points and had three assists.
The Raiders shot 43.4 percent (23-53) from the field overall and 56.3 percent *9-16) from the free throw line. Colgate held the Leopards to just 37.5 percent (12-32) shooting in the second half. Overall, Lafayette shot 41.4 percent (24-58) from the floor. The Raiders were slightly out-rebounded 37-34.
Colgate will return home this weekend when they host American on Saturday at Cotterell Court at 2 p.m. The game will be a part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) “Pink Zone” initiative.
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