HAMILTON, N.Y. (11/14/09) - Junior Sami Kozlowski (New Market, Md.) scored 14 points to lead the Colgate women’s basketball team to a 63-47 victory in their season opener against Presbyterian.
Freshman Jhazmine Lynch (San Diego, Calif) picked up 12 points for the Raiders, coming off the bench to play 23 minutes in her collegiate debut. Junior Tayler Wejnert (Ramsey, N.J.) led Colgate in rebounding with a game-high nine.
After falling behind by eight points, sophomore Tricia Oakes (Evergreen, Colo.) put in a lay-up to spark an 8-0 run by the Raiders to tie the visiting Blue Hose 17-17. Oakes collected five of those eight points, while classmate Candice Green (East Brunswick, N.J.) added three.
The Raiders earned their first lead of the game with 2:46 remaining in the half as Lynch went one-for-two on the free throw line, putting Colgate up 25-24. After exchanging baskets, the Raiders still held their one point advantage heading into the half-time break, 30-29.
Colgate came out strong in the second half, extending their lead to eight, 39-31, just over three minutes into the half. Lynch and Kozlowski combined to score 17 points in the second half as the Raiders gained 10 points off Presbyterian turnovers. Colgate held the Blue Hose to just 18 points and 16.7 percent shooting in the second half.
The Raiders built their lead to 17 after Kozlowski scored on a lay-up off her own offensive rebound with just 4:19 left on the clock. Colgate’s largest lead of the game came in the final seconds as Lynch connected on two free throws to give the Raiders a 19 point advantage, 63-44, with 17 seconds remaining. Presbyterian’s Kristen Stevens hit a three to end the game, but the Raiders claimed their first win of the season to earn a 1-0 record.
Colgate shot 42.9 percent (21-49) from the floor while the Blue Hose hit 32 percent (16-50). Mariah Pietrowski led Presbyterian in scoring with 14 points followed by Dria David with 12.
The Raiders will be back in action this Monday, Nov. 16, when they host Rider University at 7 p.m. on Cotterell Court.