The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team secured a hard-fought 56-47 victory over Cornell, their second consecutive win against an Ivy League opponent.

Sophomore guard Karson Martin led the Bobcats with 15 points, while sophomore forward Anna Foley added 14 in a defensive battle that came down to late-game execution.

The game was a grind from the start, with both teams struggling offensively. Cornell scored just five points in the second quarter and six in the third, while Quinnipiac managed seven and nine, respectively. The Bobcats’ defense held strong, keeping the game within reach despite the offensive droughts.

At halftime, head coach Tricia Fabbri challenged her team to come together and respond. “We’re going to have games like that,” Fabbri said. “What matters is the second half. How are we going to go out? How are we going to be better and outwork this team?” 

The turning point came in the fourth quarter when Quinnipiac shot 9-for-16, with Martin and Foley leading the charge. Foley’s back-to-back assists to Martin on backdoor cuts helped swing momentum, and she added consecutive and-ones to extend the lead to 55-45.

“I think the biggest spark was Ava [Sollenne],” Foley said, referring to Sollenne’s critical three-pointer off the bench in the third quarter. “It just made us all exhale to see the ball go through the net.”

Martin, who usually takes on the role of facilitator, embraced her scoring responsibilities. “Compared to last year, with Jackie [Grisdale] being out, I had to step into her role and do a lot,” Martin said. “Now that we have so much diversity and a deep bench, it’s so much fun.” 

Fabbri praised her team’s resilience and defensive effort. “Gotta give Cornell a lot of credit,” she said. “New coach, new staff—they did a great job on personnel and scouting. But I loved our fourth quarter and how we were able to seize it, take it, and go win it.”