HAMILTON, N.Y. - In a game of runs on Senior Day, Colgate's first-years carried the day to bring home a win for the three seniors honored pregame. Alexa Naessens, Katlyn Ghavidel and Taylor Langan were joined midcourt with their families in the Senior Day ceremony. The Raiders took down Loyola with a momentous fourth stanza in which they outscored Loyola 21-4. Taylor Golembiewski ledd the Raiders on the scoreboard with 21 points, matching her career high. Morgan McMahon had her tenth double digit day of the season with 17 points and Jenna Paul added a career high 16 points. Golembiewski and McMahon also sank three shots from beyond the arc to contribute to 52% accuracy from the three-point line. Loyola's Lex Therien was their leading scorer with 23 points but was held to just one point in the fourth quarter. 

Loyola started the race off with the first run of the game, going up by 11 in the first quarter. Colgate began its comeback with three minutes left in the quarter off of Paul's first three of the afternoon. The Raiders added eight unanswered points to end the quarter down 17-14.  McMahon banked seven points in the first quarter to join Paul's five and Golembiewski's two. 

Just over a minute into the second quarter, Paul put in her second three and Tiasia McMillan scored in the paint to tie the game at 19. After a basket by Loyola's Taleah Dixon, McMillan came right back with two more to tie the game again. Dixon responded but then so did Golembiewski who sank two from the stripe and then added a three-point jumper of her own. As McMahon, McMillan and Paul kept sinking their shots, the Raider lead increased to 38-26 to enter the locker room at the half.

Starting off the third quarter, Loyola put in the first six points but the Raiders consistently kept coming right back. McMahon cashed in her first two free throws, Sophia Diehl added her first three of the day and Golembiewski added a three-point jump shot to increase the Raider lead to ten at 46-36. Loyola started its own run and outscored the Raiders 10-1 on the heels of the second of two free throws by McMillan. The score tied up at 47 with 2:30 left in the third quarter and one more basket by the Greyhounds left the Raiders down two at the end of the third, 49-47. 

The team with the last run is usually the victor and the Raiders would not have it any other way. They dominated the fourth quarter, outscoring Loyola 21-4. Golembiewski could not be stopped, adding 11 points in the final period. The Raiders increased their lead up to 17 points before closing it out 68-53. Senior Alexa Naessens had a strong defensive game, putting her first points on the board after an offensive rebound. On the ensuing trip down the court, she blocked the shot of Loyola's freshman phenom Therien, whom she held to just one point in the fourth quarter. Points from McMahon, Diehl and Paul solidified the rout and the Raiders finished with their best fourth quarter of the season.

FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Ganiyat Adeduntan

"I am extremely proud of how we played today. We were resilient and fought for 40 minutes. I asked my team to each give 1% more and I felt like we did that today. In the fourth quarter we made stops and held them to just four points. That is huge for us. A big part of that was Alexa Naessens and her defense on Lex Therien. As a senior captain her leadership came through today as she does often with her communication, intensity and focus. Our guards had a great day as well with Taylor (Golembiewski) matching her season high of 21 points, Jenna making three three pointers and her career high of 16 points, and Morgan McMahon with 17 points, five assists and no turnovers. This was a team win where we had so many contribute in big ways. I am really excited and proud of our team with our growth as we keep building each game this season."

UP NEXT
The Raiders are back in action on Wednesday, hosting Army West Point at 7 p.m. at Cotterell Court. Fans can purchase tickets at colgateathletics.com or watch live on ESPN+.