HAMILTON, N.Y.—Colgate University sophomore guard Melanie Cargle (Trotwood, Ohio) scored a career-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, but it was not enough as the Raiders dropped a tough 76-69 decision to visiting Cornell University in women's basketball. The Big Red used a 13-4 run in the final 3:12 to secure the victory. Colgate falls to 1-7 overall, while Cornell improves to 3-5 on the season.

Trailing by as many as 14 points, 27-13, in the opening stanza, Colgate chipped away at Cornell’s lead in the final eight minutes to cut it to six at the break, 42-36. Cargle was outstanding in the first 20 minutes, knocking down 7-of-10 from the field, including all three attempts from long range, to finish the half with a game-high 17 points.

The Raiders shot 42.9 percent in the first session, including a stellar 55.6 percent from behind the arc. The Big Red finished the half shooting 50 percent as freshman Jeomi Maduka and Clair Perry paced the squad with 11 points apiece.

Colgate (1-7) picked up right where it left off in the first half, tying the game for the first time, 47-47, at the 15:11 mark. Cornell pulled back in front by six with an 8-2 run, but the Raiders hit four consecutive free throws and got a layup from freshman Katherine McGarry (Poland, Ohio) to tie the score at 55 with 10:27 left on the clock.

Just over two minutes later, Cargle knocked down a free throw to give Colgate its first lead of the game at 58-57. Sophomore Shevorne Martin (Brooklyn, N.Y.) dropped in a pair of points to give the Raiders their largest lead of the game, 60-57, at the 6:40 mark.

Martin finished the contest with eight points and a pair of career-highs with five steals and six rebounds.

The final 5:38 featured three lead changes and three ties as Cornell connected on 7-of-9 from the charity stripe in the final minute, while Colgate missed 4-of-5 from the line in the final 1:39.

Senior guard Meghan Curtin (Bronx, N.Y.) chipped in 13 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, and four assists. Sophomore forward Caitlin Gillard (Vestal, N.Y.) also had a career-afternoon, matching her career-high with 10 points and making a career-best three steals.

The Raiders shot 38.7 percent (24-of-62) for the game, while Cornell finished 44.6 percent (25-of-56) from the floor. Colgate forced the Big Red into 25 turnovers, while Cornell scored 26 points off of 22 Raider giveaways.

Maduka led all Big Red scorers with 22 points and 10 caroms, while Perry contributed 13 points and seven boards. Kaylee Fitzsimmons had a game-high six assists for Cornell.

The Raiders get one day off before heading to Binghamton on Dec. 19, for a 7 p.m., tipoff.