Cornell women’s basketball mounted an impressive second-half rally but came up short in its home opener Tuesday night, falling 60-54 to Colgate in non-conference play. The Big Red erased a 15-point halftime deficit behind strong outings from Paige Engels and Emily Pape, who delivered their best scoring performances of the season. Engels went 7-for-13 from the floor for 18 points, while Pape matched her with 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Rachel Kaus added eight points and four boards as Cornell shot 37.5 percent overall, boosted by a 46.7 percent effort after halftime.
Colgate countered with efficient scoring from Anne Bair and Ella Meabon. Bair hit all four of her attempts from beyond the arc for 15 points, while Meabon also reached 15 on 7-for-12 shooting. Abby Ferguson chipped in nine points and eight rebounds as the Raiders shot nearly 48 percent and edged Cornell 31-30 on the glass.
Colgate built a 30-15 advantage at the break after controlling the second quarter, but Cornell surged back with a 26-13 third-quarter run. Pape fueled the comeback with 12 points in the frame, knocking down all four of her attempts. The Big Red tied the game early in the fourth, and the teams traded baskets until the 4:40 mark before the Raiders closed on a 16-7 run, aided by timely free-throw shooting.
With the loss, Cornell drops to 23–20 all-time against Colgate.
The Big Red continue non-conference play Saturday at Le Moyne, marking the programs’ first meeting since 1989.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].