WORCESTER, Mass. – Bronagh Power-Cassidy sank the second of two free throws for Holy Cross with 3.2 seconds remaining to lift the Crusaders to a tough 63-62 decision over Colgate here Sunday.
 
Power-Cassidy rebounded a Colgate shot attempt in the closing seconds and was fouled. She missed the first of two free throws but made the second to send the Raiders to their fifth straight loss.
 
Colgate (1-5, 1-5 Patriot League North) played the final 2:35 without sophomore point guard Alexa Brodie, who suffered an injury after scoring nine points and handing out a career-high seven assists. The game was tied 61-all at the time.
 
The Raiders had some good looks down the stretch but couldn't get one to drop, while Holy Cross missed six of its last eight free throw attempts as the teams traded chances.
 
Colgate grabbed its largest lead of the game at 56-51 when Geddy Rerko scored just ahead of the third-quarter buzzer and then again to start the fourth. The largest Holy Cross lead of 38-32 occurred late in the second quarter.
 
Morgan Frank came off the bench to score 12 points and grab 10 rebounds for her first collegiate double double. The first-year guard added two assists and two blocked shots. Katlyn Ghavidel completed a terrific weekend by scoring 17 points, sparked by a career-high 5-of-10 from 3-point distance.
 
Rerko's six points also were a career high.
 
Oluchi Exemma scored 14 points and corralled 17 rebounds to lead the Crusaders (4-2, 4-2 North).
 
Bottom Line
• Holy Cross 63, Colgate 62
 
From the Source
• Head Coach Bill Cleary: (On contributions from the younger players) "We really are excited about where we are going to go. Obviously, these aren't the outcomes we want, not the performances we want the whole weekend. But we've got some young players here who are going to be able to do a lot of great things, there's no doubt. It's good that they are getting the experience right now.
 
"It's one of those things where when February comes around, we're clicking and we're gelling and we hope to be one of those teams that are tough to play."


 
Stats of the Game
• Ghavidel for the weekend was 9-of-19 from 3-point distance and averaged 17.5 points.
• She's now 16-of-41 from 3-point range for 39.0 percent.
• Colgate finished with 14 assists to 14 turnovers.
• Tiasia McMillan snared a season-high three steals. She leads the team with eight.
• Brodie's previous career assist high was five on five occasions.
• Before the game, the staff named Brodie a team captain, joining Keelah Dixon and Nia Ahart.
• Rerko's previous scoring high was four last year against Siena.
 
Up Next
• Colgate is back on the road next weekend at preseason favorite Bucknell. Both games tip off at 4 p.m., with ESPN+ carrying the livestreams.