The Bison women’s basketball team is on a high with its sixth straight Patriot League victory, currently claiming sole ownership of first place in the league. The Bison have proved themselves worthy of this title after securing 10 of their wins by double digits. After a 71-50 win against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks, the women’s team now improves to an overall record of 13-4. After starting the season 2-3, the Bison have won 11 of their last 12 games. Abby Kapp ’21 topped the night off with a career-high 23 points, including six three-pointers.

“Our game against Lehigh was definitely one of our best performances as a team this season. We moved the ball extremely well and played really hard on defense. Being 6-0 in the league feels great, but we’re still focused and determined on the games we have coming up. We want to keep this momentum going and play the best we can each time we step on the court,” Kapp said.

The Mountain Hawks finished with 32.8 percent shooting from the floor and 26.7 percent from behind the arc. The Orange and Blue had one of their best offensive efforts of the season against the Mountain Hawks, leading by 20 points for the majority of the game and sinking 11 three-pointers.

In the first quarter alone, the Bison had a double-digit advantage. Just 10 minutes in, the Bison went up 20-7 after an 18-3 run. In the paint, the Bison held a 14-4 advantage. During the second quarter, the Mountain Hawks doubled its shooting percentage but were bested by the Bison’s 57.1 shooting percentage. Kapp scored three of the five three-pointers in the first half. Ellie Mack ’20 scored 11 of her 13 points in the first two quarters. Going into the half, the Bison carried a 39-22 lead. This is the most amount of points the Bison have tallied in one half this season.

In the third quarter, the Bison shot 63.6 percent, taking a 27-point lead over the Mountain Hawks after going on an 8-0 run. Tessa Brugler ’21 set the pace for the Orange and Blue with seven points in the quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Bison sealed its 21-point victory and handed the Mountain Hawks its first home loss of the season.

Mack ended with 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Ally Johnson ’21 contributed three triples while scoring 10 points. Taylor O’Brien ’22 chipped in nine points with five assists and eight rebounds. Kapp became the fourth Bison to score 20 or more points in a single game this season, while Brugler added a career-high three blocks.

“We are definitely excited about the way we have been playing lately but we are never satisfied with anything. We are still getting better every day, competing in practice, and focusing on our next opponent,” Johnson said.

On Jan. 22, the Bison continued their stellar play defeating the Colgate Raiders 66-43. Fans in Sojka were able to watch the game with no stress as the Orange and Blue jumped out to a 24-6 first-quarter lead and never looked back. Brugler paced the team with 14 points and 7 rebounds. Mack and Kapp were the other double-digit scorers for the Bison, chipping in 12 and 10 points respectfully. Mack also led the team in rebounds with 9. The key for the Orange and Blue was a stellar defense. The Bison held the Raiders to 25.4% shooting for the game and only a meager 12.5% from downtown. The game helps the Bison open up a two-game lead in the Patriot League standings. They will try to build upon this success as they travel to Loyola Marymount on Jan. 25.