LEWISBURG, Pa. (01/21/2006)—Colgate sophomore guard Melanie Cargle (Trotwood, Ohio) scored 14 first-half points and freshman Gretchen Polinski (Mansfield, Ohio) contributed 17 second-half scores, but it wasn’t enough as the Raiders dropped a 73-58 decision to first-place Bucknell University in Patriot League women’s basketball action. Freshman Laura Schober paced the Bison with 15 points.

Bucknell improves to 10-7 overall and 4-1 in league play, while Colgate falls to 3-14 and 1-3 in conference action.

Bucknell jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but Cargle scored three consecutive baskets to put the Raiders ahead by one, 6-5, at the 14:26 mark. The Bison turned up the heat defensively after that, going on a 12-0 run that spanned four minutes to go ahead 17-6.

Colgate climbed back to within four, 20-16, at the 5:38 behind Cargle’s scoring charge, but could not get any closer as Bucknell finished the half with a 14-5 run to take a 34-21 their largest lead of the game into the locker room.

Cargle led all scorers with 14 points at the break on 6-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-3 from behind the arc. The Raiders shot 28.6 percent (8-of-28) for the half, while Bucknell knocked down 41.9 percent of its shots (13-of-31).

Senior Megan Ballard (Atlanta, Ga.) knocked down a three for the Bison to start the half, but it was all Bucknell after that as the Bison ran away with a 20-7 run to take a 54-31 lead at the 13:08 mark. Hope Foster helped jumpstart the run with six points in a two minute span. The Bison pushed the lead to 26, 64-38, at the 10:38 mark for their biggest lead of the game.

The Raiders scored the next eight points to make it an 18-point game, 64-46, but could not overcome the early Bison run.

Cargle finished with 16 points and a team-high six rebounds and Polinski had 17 points and four rebounds. Ballard finished with six points, five rebounds, and three assists for the Raiders. Colgate shot 36.7 percent (22-of-60) for the game.

Foster contributed 13 points and five rebounds, while Lindsey Hollobaugh finished with 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds. The Bison shot an impressive 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the field, including 50 percent from behind the arc.

Colgate continues Patriot League play on Jan. 24 at defending champion Holy Cross. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m.