The women’s basketball team finished the first half of its Patriot League season with a 64-49 loss to Navy at Cotterell Court last Saturday afternoon. First-year Georgia Gier and senior Shevorne Martin each scored 15 points, but their efforts were not enough to ensure their first conference win.

The game started evenly with both teams applying pressure on defense. Although the Midshipmen took the lead from the start, the Raiders stayed close and tied the game on several occasions. However, a Navy 10-4 run at the end of the first half gave the Midshipmen a 29-22 lead at the break. Both team’s shooting percentages were in the mid-thirties and the game was still within Colgate’s reach.

Head Coach Pam Bass was pleased with her players’ performance in the first half of the Navy game.

“The first 16 minutes we played well. Then, our energy dropped,” she said. “We have to overcome these energy drops.”

Unfortunately, Colgate’s defense faltered in the first minutes of the second half, as Navy went on a commanding 17-6 run and never looked back. Even so, the Raiders did not cave in as they cut the lead down to 13 points, but ultimately their inconsistent play prevented them from getting back into the game. Colgate’s low shooting percentage for the game (36 percent) played a substantial role in the squad’s defeat. Bass realizes this weakness and is trying to help the Raiders overcome it, but like many coaches, defense is first and foremost on her mind.

Navy was led by center Cassie Consedine on his day. She scored 20 points and grabbed eight boards, leading her team in both categories. Consedine also showed her range by knocking down three three-pointers.Guard Amanda Myers was second on the team in points with fourteen, and she led the Midshipmen in assists with five.

The second half of the Patriot League season begins with a two-game homestand against Army and Lafayette. On Saturday afternoon, Colgate will look to exact revenge against Army, who the Raiders lost to 65-40 earlier in the season. Lafayette will travel to Hamilton on Wednesday night. Colgate lost to the Leopards by five points the last time the two teams played in Easton, Pennsylvania.

“It’s an opportunity to show how much we have improved,” Bass concluded.