Ithaca, N.Y.  – Colgate nearly rallied all the way back from a 15-point first-half deficit before falling 73-60 to Cornell here Wednesday night.
 
The Raiders trailed 26-11 with 3:50 left in the second quarter and were down 31-20 at intermission. But Colgate found its long-range shooting eye in the third period and tallied 23 points to whittle the Big Red lead to just 48-43 entering the fourth.
 
Paige Kriftcher scored the first bucket of the final stanza to make it 48-45, but then the Raider scoring faltered. Cornell put together a 13-1 run over the next four minutes and maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
 
Randyll Butler posted her sixth career double-double with 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. The senior guard added seven assists.
 
Kateri Stone also reached new territory with a career-high 15 points, while Kriftcher tossed in 12. Stone and Kriftcher were both 2-of-8 from 3-point distance.
 
Colgate's home opener is Sunday at 2 p.m. against Monmouth.
 
Bottom Line
• Cornell 73, Colgate 60
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate is now 0-2.
• Cornell improves to 2-1.
 
Facts & Figures
• Butler has 27 rebounds in the first two games to lead the Raiders.
• She missed a triple-double this night by just three assists, finishing with seven.
• Butler led the Raiders with 36 minutes played.
• Stone was 7-of-9 at the line on her way to her career-high 15 points.
• The sophomore in Sunday's opener at Kent State matched her previous collegiate best with seven points.
• Kriftcher maintained the team scoring lead. She now has 39 points in the two games.
• Colgate opened the contest with its lowest-scoring quarter of the young season. The Raiders trailed 15-7 at the end of one.
• The Raiders in the third quarter outscored Cornell 23-17 for their second-best scoring period of the year.
• Colgate used a pair of 6-0 runs in that stanza to quickly get back into the game.
• Mylah Chandler scored six of her eight points in the second quarter as Colgate began whittling away at Cornell's 15-point lead.
 
More Key Info
• Colgate's scoring sheet went like this: Stone 15, Kriftcher 14, Butler 12, Chandler 8, Katie Curtis 3, Josie Stockill 3, Ariel Etheridge 3 and Tori Pozsonyi 2.
• Pozsonyi reached a career high with three steals.
• Colgate's bench won every quarter and wound up with a 28-14 edge over the Big Red.
• The Raiders shot 31.1 percent (19-of-61) from the floor to Cornell's 44.8 percent (26-of-58).
• Colgate was 6-of-21 from 3-point distance, while Cornell made five of 14.
• The Raiders were sharp at the free-throw line, making 16-of-21. Cornell finished 16-of-25.
• Rebounds went Cornell's way, 41-40, and turnovers were even at 14.
• Julia Barcello pitched in with five rebounds and Steph Poland had one.
• Chelsey Koren and Mackenzie Carroll both saw their first collegiate action.
 
Turning Point
• Colgate had rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit to within 48-43 heading into the fourth quarter.
• Kriftcher scored with 8:19 remaining to trim the margin even further, to 48-45.
• But the Raiders went cold from that point, giving up a 13-1 Cornell run over the next four minutes that made it 61-46.
 
From the Sources
• Colgate head coach Nicci Hays Fort (On the game) "We fought like crazy and we played really well in the third quarter. We executed, we shared the ball really well and got stops. It was a really good third quarter. Unfortunately, we just let our turnovers dig us a hole in the first half."
 
(On Butler and Stone) "Randyll just wants the ball and she goes and gets it. Kateri, we just need her to keep doing what she did tonight."

Listen to the rest of Hays Fort's comments HERE.
 
• Colgate guard Randyll Butler (On the game) "I have to give credit to Cornell; they're a great team. We just have to keep pushing. We got down early and it was hard to get back. We cut it to three, but it wasn't enough."
 
Listen to the rest of Butler's comments HERE.
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance Newman Arena was 312.
 
Up Next
• Colgate plays its home opener Sunday against Monmouth.
• The Hawks (0-1) lost 95-89 in overtime last Friday at Lehigh.
• They host Robert Morris on Thursday before coming to Hamilton.