The women’s basketball team made it as far as the quarterfinals in the Patriot League Tournament before facing the end of their season

against Army. 

The victory over Boston University marked Colgate’s first four-game winning streak since the 2009-10 team opened their season with five consecutive victories. The two teams remained neck-and-neck for the first half, but the Raiders took control and dominated the second, securing their win and a spot in the quarterfinals, 58-48. 

Colgate was never able to lead in the first half, and poor shooting was partly to blame. BU found themselves with a 14-4 lead as the Raiders fought for baskets. Both sophomore Katie Curtis and senior Missy Repoli sparked a comeback. Curtis hit a 3-pointer, while Repoli scored a bank shot. Repoli then came through with a 3-pointer to close the gap, now 20-16. Colgate built up momentum but still ended the half

trailing 26-25. 

Senior Mariah Jones had a noteworthy game, dishing out five assists on five straight possessions early in the second half. By the end of the night, Jones had earned 307 total assists in her career,

seventh on the all-time Colgate list. 

The Raiders were able to outscore BU in the second half, and the teamwork on the court was evident. Repoli led Colgate’s scoring with 14 points, then Jones with 13 and junior Paige Kriftcher with eight. The team’s high tally of rebounds and steals kept BU continuously on defense. Senior Carole Harris, as well as junior Randyll Butler, grabbed six rebounds apiece. Butler also finished with four steals, and Harris and Jones had

three apiece. 

Colgate suffered a heartbreaking loss in the quarterfinals against Army, falling in overtime 48-45. Each team found their momentum in different halves. By the end of the first half, Army nearly led by double digits, 22-13. During the second 20 minutes, Colgate came back with a 25-16 margin. While the Raiders shot their lowest percentage in the first half, the Black Knights suffered from poor shooting in the second. 

Despite Colgate’s big comeback in the second half, Army was able to keep their opponents scoreless for the last five minutes, drawing the game into overtime. Throughout the extra time, the two teams alternated leading multiple times, but Army’s Aimee Oertner came on strong and helped guarantee her team’s fate. Oertner’s final layup and Kelsey Minato’s single free throw brought Army to a tally of 48 points and a place in the semifinals. 

Although Colgate’s season now draws to a close, the team has significant records to reflect on. They ended with 72.0 percent from the free-throw line, which is a program record. The senior Raiders also have impressive careers to show for all their hard work. Jones is now the first player in Colgate women’s basketball history to reach both 300 career assists (308) and 150 3-pointers. She is fourth in Raider career 3-pointers and seventh in career assists. Repoli started off overtime with a 3-pointer, marking her 53 of the season, fourth on the

Colgate list, and 168 of her career. 

Overall, the team experienced standout games, such as beating Holy Cross away for the first time in history, or beating Lehigh on the Mountain Hawk’s senior night. According to Jones, it isn’t worth it to pick apart plays and missed shots while thinking about what could have been

done differently. 

“I think I left a legacy of being a very passionate player who never gives up, and I try to get my teammates to feed off of my energy; that’s what I want to be known for,” Jones said when asked to reflect on her experience at Colgate.