ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle to open the season, the Colgate Raiders women’s basketball team grinded out a 53-43 victory over the Siena Saints on Tuesday night at Times Union Center.

Defying pregame projections that favored the home team, Colgate used a dominant third-quarter performance and a game-high 22 points from Anne Bair to secure the win in front of an announced crowd of 432. Interstat’s ELO system had given Siena a 55.20 percent probability of victory, but the Raiders’ methodical play and stout defense after halftime proved the difference.

The contest was a tight, back-and-forth affair through the first 20 minutes. Colgate held a narrow 12-11 lead after the first quarter, only for Siena to answer in the second, outscoring the Raiders 12-11 to send the teams into the locker room deadlocked at 23-23 at the half.

The third quarter, however, became the turning point. Colgate’s defense intensified, stifling the Siena offense and holding the Saints to just eight points in the period. Meanwhile, the Raiders found their rhythm on the offensive end, putting up 15 points to build a 38-31 advantage heading into the final frame. That seven-point cushion provided a margin that Siena could not overcome, as the teams played evenly in the fourth quarter, each scoring 12 points, allowing Colgate to close out the 10-point victory.

Anne Bair was the offensive catalyst for the Raiders, shouldering the scoring load throughout the night. The guard logged 30 minutes and poured in 22 points, nearly half of her team’s total output. She supplemented her scoring with five rebounds and four assists, orchestrating the Colgate attack against a stubborn Siena defense.

While Bair handled the scoring, Abbey Ferguson controlled the paint and the defensive end for Colgate. Ferguson played a team-high 37 minutes and recorded a double-double, scoring four points and pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds. Her presence was most felt on defense, where she registered three blocked shots, altering countless others and helping to secure the interior for the Raiders.

For Siena, the offensive effort was led by Jamariah Turner, who finished as the only Saint in double figures with 13 points in 26 minutes of action. Beyond Turner, Siena struggled to find consistent scoring options against the disciplined Colgate defense.

Ella Meabon provided valuable secondary scoring for the Raiders, adding nine points and four rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench. Christina Midgette was a force on the glass alongside Ferguson, hauling in nine rebounds to go with three points in her 31 minutes of play. Her work on the boards was critical in limiting Siena’s second-chance opportunities.

Siena received contributions from several players in the losing effort. Caydence Hadley was active on the boards, grabbing a team-high seven rebounds to go with six points. Garrisen Freeman scored three points and added five rebounds and two blocks, while Francesca Schiro chipped in six points and two rebounds.

The victory marks a successful start to the season for Colgate, which begins its campaign with a 1-0 record across all competitions. The Raiders will look to build on this road win when they return to Hamilton for their home opener against Ithaca this Friday, November 7.

For Siena, the loss drops them to 0-1 to start the year. The Saints will aim to rebound on the road this Saturday, November 8, when they travel to face Massachusetts.

Colgate’s early season schedule remains busy. Following the home opener, they host New Hampshire on November 10 before embarking on a two-game road trip at Cornell on November 18 and Quinnipiac on November 23. A trip to California for a multi-team event around the Thanksgiving holiday will see the Raiders face Idaho on November 28 and UC Irvine on November 29. December features home contests against Delaware on December 5 and Albany on December 8, followed by road games at in-state foes Syracuse on December 10 and Binghamton on December 20.

Siena’s upcoming slate is heavily road-weighted. After the visit to UMass, the Saints play at Army on November 13 before returning home to host Dartmouth on November 16. They then hit the road again for games at Albany on November 19, Rutgers on November 24, and Cornell on November 26. The Saints’ final home games of the calendar year will be against New Haven on December 2 and Central Connecticut on December 15, before closing out 2025 with a western New York trip to Niagara on December 19 and Canisius on December 21.

The game was characterized by its slow pace and defensive intensity, with both teams struggling to find an offensive flow for long stretches. In the end, Colgate’s ability to lock down Siena in the decisive third quarter and the standout individual performance from Anne Bair provided the formula for a season-opening victory on the road.