Women’s Basketball Fall to Cortland in Season-Opener, 65-60 – Ithaca College Athletics

ITHACA, N.Y. – In the battle of Cortaca on the hardwood, the Ithaca College women’s basketball team hosted the Cortland Red Dragons in their season-opener on Wednesday evening. The Red Dragons ended up walking away with a tight 65-60 victory over Ithaca and improved their record to 1-1.
 
These bitter rivals played like it, as this game was neck-in-neck from the start. Both teams had a slew of offensive glory, only for the opposing team to cut it short. It was the Red Dragons who silenced the rowdy crowd in Ben Light Gymnasium as Kayla Campbell and Brooke Tillotson hit early back-to-back 3-pointers to give Cortland the early 6-0 lead. June Dickson was able to respond scoring the first five points of the season for the Bombers bringing them within three when the score was 8-5. Anya Watkins joined the party making a couple of shots to even the score at 10 points apiece. The rest of the quarter played out in the Bombers favor as they led 17-12 after one quarter of play.
 
In the second quarter, Annabella Yorio made a layup to give the Bombers their biggest lead of the game 22-12. However, the momentum began to shift in favor of Cortland, and after a Brooke Tillotson layup, the Red Dragon deficit was shrunk to one with the score being 24-23 Ithaca. The rest of the quarter was back and forth, but Ithaca held onto their one-point lead with the score at halftime being 32-31.
 
The third quarter is where the game shifted in Cortland’s favor. They started hitting more shots and continued playing aggressive defense which limited the Bombers on offense. To finish out the quarter, the Red Dragons scored 12 of the last 14 points to make the score 52-42 heading into the final frame.
 
The Bombers overcame the 10-point deficit to tie the game at 57 all, but after a small run from Cortland and a couple of late free throws, the Red Dragons clinched the game, winning 65-60.
 
Annabella Yorio and June Dickson were the main catalysts of the offense as they had 18 and 16 points respectively. Kayla Campbell paced things for Cortland with 19 points of her own.
 
The Bombers next game will be back in Ben Light Gymnasium next Tuesday, November 19 at 6 p.m. when they take on St. John Fisher University.