Smith Sets New Career High, Dartmouth Falls to Army, 68-60

Saturday, November 26

Hanover, N.H.

12:00 PM

Dartmouth College

2-2

Army

4-1

Army

Dartmouth

Smith Sets New Career High, Dartmouth Falls to Army, 68-60

11/26/2016 12:50:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Tour the weight room Fanni Szabo Belle Koclanes Kate Letkewicz Olivia Smith Amber Mixon Photo Gallery Highlights: Dartmouth women's basketball vs. Army, Nov. 26, 2016 Box score: Army 68, Dartmouth 60 PDF Box score

By: Dartmouth

HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth women's basketball team hung close, but eventually fell to Army, 68-60, on Saturday afternoon in Leede Arena.

The loss drops the Big Green to 2-2, while the Black Knights improve to 4-1.

The Big Green battled hard, but had trouble taking care of the basketball, turning it over 19 times. Despite the turnover issues, Dartmouth shot 51 percent from the field and made 6-of-16 three pointers. Junior Olivia Smith set a career high with 16 points, shooting 5-of-10 from the field with six free throws.

Kate Letkewicz also had a strong performance, leading all scorers with 24 points and a team-high eight rebounds. The Waterloo, Iowa native was just three points shy of her career high of 27 from last season's game against Yale.

“This was a great game for Olivia Smith and for Kate as well,” said Gail Koziara Boudreaux '82 and Family Head Coach, Belle Koclanes. “The two of them know their roles are to score, rebound and defend. We want them on the floor and today Olivia found the basket. We need her to do that consistently and she wants to do that consistently. This kind of game today with as much pressure they faced feeds into their strengths, which they thrive on.”

The Black Knights had a decent day shooting as well, going 27 for 54 from the field. Army had three players in double digits by the final horn, including Janae McNeal, who led her team with 17 points. The Black Knights took a 36-29 lead into the locker room at the half, but a resilient Big Green squad came charging back in the second half.

After a three by Army, junior Amber Mixon made three consecutive baskets, including two fast-breaks in the opening minutes of the third quarter, cutting the deficit to five points. After a buzzer beater by Fanni Szabo to end the third, Dartmouth found itself trailing 48-47.

A nice lay up by Isalys Quinones gave the Big Green their first lead since the beginning of the second quarter to start the fourth, but the Black Knights came storming back on a 12-2 run to take a 62-54 lead with just two minutes to play in the contest.

With less than a minute to play, Letkewicz gave Dartmouth hope with a pair of three-pointers, but Army was able to make its free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

“Army is a fantastic team,” said Koclanes. “They taught us about toughness and never giving in. We threw some punches in the second half to get us back in the ball game. We tied it up, took a lead and they never died down. That's the kind of team we want to be, so we're going to learn those lessons from today.”

The Big Green will head to Virginia for a two-game road trip on Nov. 30 to take on Old Dominion before visiting William and Mary on Dec. 1.