SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY- Women's basketball drops their first game in four contests Tuesdays night when they fell short to Skidmore 71-61. Despite shooting only 26.7% from the field, the Cardinals still managed to give themselves a chance late in the game. They cut the Thoroughbreds lead to as close as six in the fourth quarter, before Skidmore put them away with a handful of free throws in the final two minutes.

The Cardinals were led in scoring by Marina Petruzzi '22 who finished with 17 points and five rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Caleigh Ryan '22 with 16 and Maddie Clark '22 with 12. On the boards, Emma Kiernan '24 brought down 12 rebounds while Maggie Lee '23 had 10. With the loss, the Cardinals will fall to 3-2 on the year, while Skidmore continues their undefeated start at 5-0.

 
FIRST HALF HIGHLIGHTS:

• Wesleyan's cold shooting night started from the tip, as they only managed to produce seven points in nine minutes of action to start the game. Back-to-back layups to end the quarter by Lee and Lena Benway '25, kept the Cardinals within 10
• The Cards first 2^nd quarter field goal came with only 2:31 remaining in the half when Clark finished off a Benway assist to stop Skidmore's 14-5 run
• They finished the half strong, cutting the lead to 13 going into the break. Wesleyan went into halftime shooting 21.6% from the field and 1-13 from three, however solid rebounding and getting to the free throw line kept the game from getting out of hand

SECOND HALF HIGHLIGHTS:

• Wesleyan's top two scorers opened up the half with layups, as Ryan and Clark trimmed the lead to 11. The scores were followed up by two big blocks by Kiernan and Ryan on the defensive end which was exactly the spark they needed
• Skidmore responded with a 3^rd quarter run of their own that extended their lead back to 18. It was capped off by a Julia Blanck layup, who was one of the Thoroughbreds' three double digit scorers on the night
• Another strong end to the quarter had Wesleyan still in striking distance despite barely shooting over 20% from the field. Ryan nailed a midrange jumper that brought the deficit back down to 11 going into the final quarter
• The two teams traded buckets for the first five minutes of the 4^th, keeping the Skidmore lead at 12 with only 4:48 to go
• Wesleyan would then make their run. Ryan and Petruzzi hit two big threes that cut the lead to only seven with a little over a minute remaining. Ryan got herself to the line the following possession making one of two and suddenly the Cards were within two possessions. Skidmore left the door open with a 0/2 trip to the line, but Wesleyan couldn't capitalize and the game was closed out with a few Thoroughbreds free throws

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Wesleyan shot a season low 26.7% from the field, while also making only 4-25 attempts from three-point land
• Marina Petruzzi scored a season high 17 points while also bringing down five boards
• Maggie Lee pulled down a career high 10 rebounds, while Emma Kiernan had her 3^rd 12 rebound performance of the season
• Wesleyan turned the ball over only nine times Tuesday night, a season's best

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
Wesleyan will be back home Sunday the 28^th where they will face off against Rhode Island College (3-3).