Big Green Handed First Ivy Loss at Harvard

Saturday, January 20

Cambridge, Mass.

6:00 PM

Dartmouth College

9-6, 1-1

Harvard

9-6, 1-1

Dartmouth

Harvard

1/20/2018 7:46:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Belle Koclanes Kate Letkewicz Andi Norman Cy Lippold Paula Lenart Box Score PDF HTML Stats

By: Dartmouth

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Saturday night was a challenge for the Dartmouth women's basketball team who fell to Harvard on the road, 76-65. Dartmouth moves to 9-6 on the season, with a 1-1 Ivy League mark, while Harvard improves to 9-6, with the same 1-1 conference record.

Dartmouth had a strong start early in the first period, leading 9-7 midway through, before Harvard came roaring back outside of the media timeout and was leading 24-16 at the end of the quarter. Turnovers and missed shots were easy to blame for the scoring slump for the road team, as the Crimson took advantage of turnovers scoring more.

Junior guard Cy Lippold led the Dartmouth offense with 17 points, while seniors Andi Norman and Kate Letkewicz scored 12 each.

"We had a great game plan going in, but it's about executing that game plan against a Harvard team that's out for you," said the Gail Koziara Boudreaux '82 and Family Head Coach Belle Koclanes. "They weren't happy to lose to us on opening weekend and we knew that, so obviously we're walking onto their home court after sitting on that loss for two weeks and we knew they were ready to come out and throw punches. Disappointed in our first quarter, it was important for us to throw that first punch, but other than that it was a battle."

As the Big Green struggled to get back in control in the second period, Harvard continued to score, expanding their lead by as much as 16 points. Coming down to the last minute of the second quarter, a three from Lippold with 0:56 until halftime gave the road team a chance to cut into the lead, bringing it within 10 points at the half, 46-36 Crimson lead.

The third period was a continuing battle of catch-up for Dartmouth, unable to stop Harvard from making baskets, and unable to make baskets to cut into the lead. Down by 14 with one minute to go in the third, Norman drained a three, before the Crimson's Sydney Skinner drove back down and scored a layup, essentially holding the Big Green to where it has been the majority of the game.

With 8:30 to go in the fourth, Letkewicz pulled up to sink a three, but the referee's whistle was blown right as she made the basket, calling a foul on Paula Lenart for an illegal screen, which did not count the basket. With a minor setback in terms of scoring, Dartmouth did not back down and continued to drive to the basket, but was unable to tie up or take the lead, ending the game with an 11-point deficit.

"The first quarter was an eight-point quarter, and then it was an eight-point game almost the whole game, the rest of the way it was pretty even," Koclanes said. "That first quarter really put us behind and set the tone for the game. Credit to Harvard for coming out here and making a statement."

The Big Green return to their home court next week hosting Brown on Friday, January 26, at 7 p.m. and Yale on Saturday, January 27 at 5 p.m.