Cornell women’s basketball earned a milestone victory Friday night, knocking off Penn 62-58 at the Palestra to end a 16-game losing streak against the Quakers. The win lifted Cornell to 8-11 overall and 3-3 in Ivy League play, while Penn fell to 12-7 and 2-4 in conference action.
Senior Emily Pape led the Big Red with 20 points, shooting 8-for-15 from the field and 4-for-10 from three-point range while adding five rebounds and three assists. Rachel Kaus followed with 18 points on efficient shooting, including 5-for-6 from the free-throw line, and Clarke Jackson posted nine points and a team-high nine rebounds. Kelsey Langston contributed six points and five assists as Cornell finished the game shooting 48.0% from the floor and 47.1% from beyond the arc.
Cornell set the tone early, using a 16-5 run late in the first quarter to build a 21-14 lead. The Big Red carried a 38-31 advantage into halftime after answering a brief Penn push in the second quarter. Cornell opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run to extend the lead to 47-31, its largest of the night.
Penn responded with a strong surge to close the third, trimming the margin to four entering the final period. The Quakers continued to apply pressure in the fourth, cutting the deficit to one with under two minutes remaining. Cornell answered with a timely three-pointer and closed the game at the free-throw line, converting four straight attempts to seal the win.
Penn was led by Mataya Gayle’s 20 points, while Katie Collins added 13 points and 12 rebounds. The Quakers held a narrow rebounding edge but could not overcome Cornell’s shooting efficiency.
Cornell returns to action Saturday, hosting No. 19 Princeton at 5 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].