PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women’s basketball team fought hard but ultimately fell to Harvard with a score of 73-44 on Monday afternoon at The Palestra. The Quakers were tied at 13-13 as the first quarter concluded but struggled to keep up with Harvard’s powerful second half.
With this defeat, the Quakers’ record in Ivy play drops to 1-3, while their overall standing falls to 10-7 as they embark on their first lengthy road trip of the season. In contrast, the Crimson improved to 3-1 in the conference and hold a solid 14-2 overall record.
Quaker Highlights:
* Stina Almqvist led the team with 14 points, alongside six rebounds and four assists. She is now at 924 career points, just 76 shy of reaching 1,000 points, a mark achieved by only 25 other players in Penn history.
* Katie Collins made a significant contribution, scoring 11 points, six rebounds, and two blocks.
* The Quakers’ defense effectively limited Harvard’s long-range shooting, holding them to only 21.7 percent (5-for-23) from beyond the arc.
Game Recap:
Harvard started strong, winning the opening tip and scoring first with a three-pointer. However, Stina Almqvist quickly countered with a layup, bringing the score to 3-2. The Crimson struck again from beyond the arc, extending their lead to 9-2 before Simone Sawyer and Katie Collins helped narrow the gap to 9-7.
Saniah Caldwell then gave the Quakers their first lead of the game with a three-pointer just before the U5 media timeout, making it 10-9. The score remained tied at 11-11 as neither team was able to break away. Mataya Gayle provided a smooth mid-range jumper to finish the first quarter, tying the game at 13.
Harvard came out strong in the second quarter, scoring the initial four points and leading 17-13, prompting a timeout from head coach Mike McLaughlin. After the timeout, Abby Sharpe scored a layup, but the Crimson quickly countered to stretch their advantage to six points.
In the second half, Harvard executed a decisive 17-1 run, ballooning their lead to 54-32 by the end of the third quarter. The Quakers couldn’t recover in the fourth, as Harvard maintained control, ultimately winning by a margin of 29 points.
Next Game:
The Quakers are set to begin a four-game road trip, facing Columbia on Saturday at 2 p.m.
For more updates on Penn women’s basketball, follow @PennWBB on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and check out PennAthletics.com.
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