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HAMILTON – Colgate's Carole Harris turned in her second double-double of the season, but it wasn't enough to prevent Lehigh from escaping with an 86-68 Patriot League decision here Wednesday afternoon.
 
The Mountain Hawks (9-2, 1-0 Patriot) shot 52.8 percent from the floor in the first half to open a 47-34 advantage by intermission. Lehigh finished at 50.7 percent en route to their highest point-total of the season.
 
The Raiders (1-11, 0-1) stayed within range thanks to 10 steals that led to a 23-9 advantage in points-off-turnovers. Colgate pulled within 10 points of Lehigh on two occasions in the first four minutes of the second half, but could draw no closer.

Harris finished with 19 points to lead all scorers, and she matched her season-high with 10 rebounds. Josie Stockill added 13 points and eight boards, while Paige Kriftcher scored 12.

Stockill also led the Raiders with a career-high five assists, Randyll Butler tied her career high with four steals and Steph Schultz scored a career-high five points to highlight the stat sheet.
 
Lehigh placed five players in double figures, led by Lexi Martins' 16 points and 13 rebounds. She was one rebound shy of posting that double-double in the first half.
 

Colgate is at Bucknell this Saturday in a 2 p.m. start.
 
Bottom Line
• Lehigh 86, Colgate 68
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate is now 1-11 overall after dropping its Patriot League opener.
• Lehigh improves to 9-2 and 1-0.
 
Facts & Figures
• Carole Harris recorded her second double-double this season and ninth of her career, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. The 19 points led all scorers.
• Harris' other double-double this season was a 24-point, 10-board performance in the win over Binghamton.
• It's the sixth time this season Harris has led the Raiders in scoring, and the seventh time in rebounding.
• Josie Stockill added 13 points, eight boards and a career-high five assists. He previous high of three assists was Sunday at Siena.
• Stockill began the game by uncharacteristically missing her first four free-throw attempts. But Colgate's top foul-line shooter rallied to make her last five and is still at 74.1 percent for the year.
• Paige Kriftcher added 12 points for Colgate, while Mariah Jones scored seven, Steph Schultz five, Randyll Butler four, Missy Repoli four, Kateri Stone three and Ariel Etheridge one.

• Kriftcher's point-total was her second-highest of the year and included a 2-of-2 effort from 3-point range. The Raiders as a team were 3-of-15 from downtown.
• Butler matched her career high with four of Colgate's 10 steals. The Raiders came into the game third in the Patriot League in steals at 7.4.
• Those 10 steals by the Raiders helped Colgate compile a 23-9 advantage on points-off-turnovers.
 
 Turning Point
• Colgate scored the game's first six points as Harris connected on a pair of jumpers and Butler added a layup. The defense forced five turnovers in those opening minutes.
• Lehigh drew level at 6-6, but Colgate stayed sharp and it was 11-11 when Schultz dropped in a layup.
• But that's when the Raiders went cold. Colgate hit just 2-of-11 over one stretch and Lehigh took the lead for keeps.
• The Mountain Hawks increased their margin from 16-14 to 24-15 over a 1:29 stretch, and Colgate pulled only as close as seven the rest of the way.
 
More Key Info
• Lehigh shot 50.7 percent (34-of-67) from the field en route to its season-high point-total of 86.
• The Mountain Hawks entered the game as the Patriot League's top team in both field-goal percentage and scoring.
• Colgate finished at 38.2 percent on 26-of-68. The Raiders were just 13-of-20 on free throws, and those numbers were 8-of-15 until Stockill converted her last five attempts.

• Rebounds favored Lehigh, 45-34, but the Mountain Hawks committed 17 turnovers against 14 assists. Colgate also dished out 14 assists, but turned it over just 13 times.
• Steals were 10-7, Raiders.
• Lehigh scorers in double-figures were Lexi Martins with 16 points to go with 13 rebounds, Kerry Kinek and Katie O'Reilly with 12 points apiece, and Kiernan McCloskey and Elizabeth Sharlow with 10 apiece.
• Martins is the Patriot League's top rebounder and has eight double-doubles in 11 Lehigh games this season.
 
Season & Career Bests
• For the second game in a row, Stockill set a career high for assists. She had three Sunday at Siena and five Wednesday against Lehigh.
• Schultz had never scored more than two points in a game during her four-year Raiders career. But the native of Pottsville, Pennsylvania – about 50 miles west of the Lehigh campus – found the range for five points on 2-of-4 shooting.
• She also tied her career high with two rebounds, and later capped her afternoon by converting a conventional 3-point-play with her first career made free throw.
• Butler tied her career high with four steals.
 
From the Source
• Colgate head coach Nicci Hays Fort: (On the game) "I was really happy with our effort and our intensity. We looked to attack more on offense, and that's been a theme for us the last couple of games. "Unfortunately, every time we had a defensive miscue, they scored or we fouled. That was the difference in the game. It was nothing to do with our effort; nothing to do with our energy."

(On the quick start by the defense) "I was really happy with our defense. We forced them into 17 turnovers and we had 23 points off their turnovers. That's a great defensive night for us."
(On Carole Harris) "Carole had a great night; we're happy to have her back (100 percent). We've just got to keep her out of foul trouble in the first half."
(On Bucknell) "Bucknell is a great team and the Patriot League is a great league  We're going to have our hands full, so we've got to regroup, prepare and get ready for a tough game on Saturday."
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at Cotterell Court was a season-high 442.
 
Up Next
• Colgate plays at Bucknell this Saturday. The Bison lost 60-55 at home Wednesday to American in their Patriot League opener and are 8-4 overall. Tipoff is 2 p.m.

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