Princeton escapes with victory in final minute

It was a classic Ivy League battle as the Penn women's basketball team opened its Ancient Eight season with a nailbiter against its fiercest rival. The Quakers (4-7, 0-1 Ivy League) fell to Princeton (5-9, 1-0 Ivy League), 56-51, Saturday night after bringing the score within one point with only 47 seconds remaining in the game. "We all know we could have beaten that team," Penn sophomore center Katie Kilker said. This game was the latest in a series of close results for the Quakers, as the Red and Blue finished 3-3 in games over winter break. Princeton dominated at the beginning of the game, but the Quakers quickly fought back, going into the half with the game tied at 23. Coming out of the half, Princeton was first to the basket and the Quakers quickly answered, tying the game at 25 with 18:46 left. Princeton rebuilt its lead, and the score was 46-39 with 6:55 left, but the Quakers refused to concede. Kilker netted a pair of lay-ups bringing Penn within three, 46-43, with 5:10 remaining. The Red and Blue continued to mount their comeback, when Penn junior Jewel Clark hit a lay-up, making the score 50-49 at 1:49. Princeton's Katy O'Brian responded by netting two free-throws, increasing the Tigers' lead to three. But with only 47 seconds remaining in regulation, Clark dropped in two clutch free-throws, cutting the Quakers' deficit back to a point, 52-51. O'Brian answered by making two more free-throws with only 23 seconds left giving the Tigers a three-point lead, 54-51, and the Quakers a final opportunity to force overtime on their last possession Penn had an opportunity to tie the game at 54 with only four seconds remaining, but sophomore Karen Habrukowich's three-point attempt bounced off the rim, ending the Quakers' hopes for a victory. Clark led the Red and Blue in scoring with 17 points and nine rebounds, only one point away from her second straight double-double. Kilker finished with 12 points and six rebounds, and the Quakers were 19-of-57 overall, shooting 33.3 percent from the floor. Leading Princeton was senior Maureen Lane who had 18 points. The Quakers will continue on their quest for the Ivy League title in their next Ancient Eight game Jan. 31 at Dartmouth. "We know that next time, we aren't going to lose, and we have to take each game as if we are going to the tournament," Kilker said. "Each game is a step closer to the tournament and that is how we are looking at the season." Before continuing with its Ivy schedule, Penn will wrap up Big 5 play on Tuesday at St. Joseph's. * In other games over Winter Break, Penn finished third in the Navy Holiday Classic, losing to Fresno State, 85-80, in the first round on Dec. 21. The next day the Quakers recovered to beat the College of Charleston, 81-73, in the consolation game. Clark scored 25 points against Charleston to go along with 20 in the loss to Fresno State. For her performance, she was named to the Navy Class All-Tournament team. The Quakers won a squeaker in overtime at Marist, 91-83, on Jan. 3. Kilker had a season high 21 points in the victory. Penn fell to Big 5 rival La Salle, 63-57, Jan. 6 at the Palestra, despite Kilker's 13 points and eight rebounds. The win marked La Salle's sixth straight win over the Red and Blue. The Quakers bounced back from the loss, led by Habrukowich's 17 points, with a 75-66 win over Lafayette. Clark had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

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