Dartmouth Hangs Tough Late, Falls at Penn

Saturday, January 14

Philadelphia, Penn.

2:00 PM

Dartmouth College

2-16,0-4Ivy League

Penn

12-5,4-0Ivy League

Dartmouth

Penn

Victoria Page women's basketball vs. Monmouth

Victoria Page ’25

Photo by: Chris Poss

1/14/2023 5:35:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Box Score

The Big Green hit a season-high 12 3-pointers in a 69-57 loss to the first-place Quakers

By: Kyle Relf

PHILADELPHIA — Despite connecting on a season-high 12 3-pointers (12-of-26), the Dartmouth women's basketball team's valiant fourth-quarter effort came up short in a 69-57 loss to Penn Saturday afternoon at The Palestra.

Dartmouth faced a 17-point deficit in the fourth, but stormed back with a 13-5 run to cut Penn's lead to single digits in the competitive final minutes of Saturday's Ivy League action. Still looking for their first conference win, the Big Green moved to 2-16 (0-4), while the first-place Quakers improved to 12-5 (4-0).

The season-high 12 triples came courtesy of Victoria Page, Mia Curtis and Mekkena Boyd. Each hit at least three and shot 50 percent or better from deep. Page was 4-of-8 from three on her way to a team-high 17 points, while Curtis knocked down 5-of-7 from deep to finish with 15. Boyd was 3-of-5, all in the second half. 12 3-pointers also marked the most given up this season by Penn, who leads the Ivy League in opponent 3-point percentage. Emma Koch came just shy of a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds. Penn was led by Kayla Padilla's 21 points, along with Floor Toonders' 12-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Dartmouth trailed by as many as 10 in the first quarter, but quickly cut Penn's lead to five with Page's 3-pointer in the final minute. Penn went to Padilla on the ensuing possession and the leading scorer answered the call with a bucket, plus a foul, to bring the Penn advantage back to eight (18-10) entering the second quarter.

The Big Green defense tightened in the second quarter, along just nine points to the Quakers. Curtis knocked down a triple off Karina Mitchell's drive and kick to bring Dartmouth back within five on the opening possession of the quarter and after a second straight Curtis trey, the Big Green found themselves in a two-point game. Padilla accounted for the next five points for either side, a mid-range jumper and a 3-pointer, as Penn regained control. Philadelphia native Clare Meyer scored in the post to bring the visitors back within five, 25-20, at the 4:47 mark before both offenses went cold. Toonders' layup with just under three minutes remaining represented the final points for either side.

The Quakers extended their lead in the third quarter while shooting better than 50 percent from the field. Mekkena Boyd, who was good from deep twice in the quarter, nailed a 3-pointer to give Dartmouth a strong start to the half offensively, but Jordan Obi had the answer on the other end with a triple of her own. Padilla tacked on another 3-ball as the Penn lead extended to double digits. Curtis' timely triple kept the Big Green afloat, but the Quakers' hot shooting persisted as Penn eventually entered the fourth with a 14-point edge.

Facing a 17-point deficit at the 7:57 mark of the fourth, Dartmouth made a 13-5 run powered by two Page 3-pointers to cut the Quaker lead to nine with just over four minutes remaining. Despite continued hot shooting from deep – the Big Green were 5-of-6 from downtown at one point in the final quarter – Penn's success at the free throw line, along with key buckets from Obi, Penn closed out a 67-59 victory to remain perfect in Ivy League play.

The Big Green return to Leede Arena Monday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. to host Harvard. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Bob Lipman and Lori McBride on the call. An audio broadcast will be available through Dartmouthsports.com with Justin McIsaac calling the action.