COLGATE OPENS PATRIOT LEAGUE PLAY WITH 68-54 ROAD LOSS TO HOLY CROSS

January 9, 2001
Colgate women’s basketball contact:  Erin Thompson
ethompson@mail.colgate.edu  

    (stats)

WORCESTER, MA – Jeanette Paukert paced the Crusaders with 13 points to defeat Colgate 68-54 and give Holy Cross its 47^th consecutive home win against Patriot League opponents.

Katie O’Keefe and Kristin Popovics were also in double figures for the Crusaders, scoring 12 and 10 points respectively.  Monika Rothemich sparked the rebounding effort for Holy Cross, ripping down 10 boards in the game.

For Colgate, sophomore Colleen McCaffrey tallied a game-high 18 points and handed out 3 assists, while Danielle Fields came off the bench to add 10 points.  Senior Laura Rohrbacher scored 7 points in the contest to complement her career-high 10 rebounds.

It looked as though Colgate would stay with favored Holy Cross as the Red Raiders captured a two-point lead after only four minutes of basketball.  The Crusaders regained the lead for good, however, at the 11:22 mark with a free throw by Katie O’Keefe.  Holy Cross led by six at the half, 33-27.

Two Colgate starters suffered minor injuries in the second half, but the Red Raiders managed to come within four, 33-29, at 19:22.  Holy Cross eventually secured a comfortable scoring margin in the second half, and pulled away by 14 on clutch free throws in the final minutes.

Colgate Freshmen Victoria Briscoe and Malissa Burke also chipped in 7 points apiece for the Red Raiders.

Holy Cross improves to 8-7 overall and rises to 1-0 at the start of Patriot League competition.  This is the eighth straight setback for Colgate who drops to 2-10 on the season and 0-1 in the league.