Bulldogs Recover To Down Big Red 64-57
Feb. 24, 2006
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Three Bulldogs, led by Chinenye Okafor's (Rolla, Mo.) 13 points, finished in double-figures as Yale recovered from blowing a 13-point first half lead to hold off the Cornell Big Red 64-57 in Ivy League action on Friday night in Lee Amphitheater. Erica Davis (Columbus, N.J.) and Sara McCollum (Old Lyme, Conn.) both finished with 12, while Cornell's Claire Perry finished with a game-high 15.
After an early 4-4 tie, Yale exploded with a 15-2 run, highlighted by a pair of Jamie Van Horne (Healdsburg, Calif.) trey's to take a commanding 13 point lead at 19-6. The Big Red then fought back steadily over the next six minutes, getting to within a point at the 6:01 mark after a Kayleen Fitzsimmons lay up. Yale got a three off the hand of Ashley Easley (Joliet, Ill.) on the next possession, but the Cornell push continued and the Big Red eventually knotted the contest on two of Ashley Krasna's 13 points with 4:43 left.
The Big Red would lead by as many as four in the closing minutes of the half, but a Davis jumper with just over a minute left sent Yale into the locker room trailing by only two at 32-30.
In the second half Cornell took control early, extending their lead to six points in the first five minutes thanks to some points from the charity stripe. The Bulldogs would remain close, however, setting themselves up for a late run.
Coming out of a media time out, the Bulldogs pieced together a quick 6-0 run to crawl to within a point at 52-51. Perry responded, hitting a jumper on Cornell's next trip down the floor, but the resilient Bulldogs fought back yet again, and eventually took a lead they would never relinquish after Okafor drained a pair of free throws with 3:27 left.
The Bulldogs allowed only a Perry lay up and a Megan Hughes free throw as they closed out the Big Red by hitting seven of their last eight attempts from the line, including a pair from Kaitlin Emmerling (Lakewood, Colo.) that made it a two-possession game with just over a minute left.
The win improves Yale's record to 3-21 overall and 2-9 in conference play. Cornell falls to 8-16 overall and 5-6 in Ivy League play.
The Bulldogs host Columbia on Saturday night in Lee Amphitheater. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.
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