Despite a valiant team effort, this past Friday the 13th turned out to be an unlucky day for women’s basketball. The Red battled through four quarters of intense play against Duquesne University; but ultimately, Cornell was forced to watch its established lead fade away in the final minutes. The final result: a 74-69 loss at the hands of the Dukes.

However, the outcome was still a drastic improvement from last year’s matchup with Duquesne (2-0), which ended in a disappointing 93-49 loss for the Red (1-1). This year’s higher level of play may perhaps be attributed to improved team chemistry and a talented group of new freshmen.

“We have a lot of very young athletic players that have come in here and really embraced what this team is all about: hard work, teamwork, and energy,” said senior guard Allie Fedorowicz. “Bringing them in has really helped us.”

Indeed, the Cornell freshmen certainly contributed their fair share in the home opener, with particular credit going to Clare Fitzpatrick at forward and Taylor Flynn at guard. Both players put up 11 points and finished the game with three rebounds.

While the freshmen demonstrated their ability to play college-level basketball, the seniors were there as well in order to provide the necessary leadership.

Senior guard Lauren Benson put up an impressive 13 points and seven assists, with three rebounds. Classmates Virginia McMunigal and Allie Fedorowicz contributed 11 points and eight points, respectively.

With such solid performances delivered by the Cornell squad, the first half of the game looked promising for the Red. An early momentum was established as the Red followed through on two of its first three possessions and forced immediate Duquesne turnovers.

“At the beginning, I think we came in and executed our game plan well,” McMunigal said. “We followed our defensive plan … and matched Duquesne’s level of play.”

The Red’s 39 percent shooting from the floor could not compare to the Dukes’ superior 52 percent effort in the first half. However, a stellar three-pointer percentage [58 percent] — combined with numerous Duquesne turnovers — allowed the Red to surpass the visitors and end the half with a 42-32 lead.

In the second half, the Dukes’ presence was much more competitive. A combination of accurate shooting and aggressive defense by both teams kept the score teetering back and forth as the clock wound down. Duquesne’s junior forward Samantha Pollino was a dominant force at the basket, thwarting the Red defense to score a total of 19 points.

“She was a big presence up front and got a lot of offensive rebounds,” Fedorowicz said. “She was just very aggressive, and we need to learn how to handle that better.”

In fact, it was Pollino who scored the crucial game-winning points for the Dukes. With a mere 32 seconds left in the game, she hit a short jumper, putting Duquesne up 70-69. The Red missed its next shot and then fouled Alex Gensler, who hit both free throws.

With 13 seconds left, the Red attempted a comeback shot from the top of the key. The attempt failed, and in the process of the Duquesne rebound, Pollino was fouled. She then proceeded to hit her two free throws, which sealed the victory for the Dukes.

Undeniably, the Cornell players would have preferred a win at their home opener. However, it is early in the season, and the game will instead be taken as an important learning experience to move the team in the right direction.

“Now we know that we need to work on our rebounding, and on better execution of our plays,” Fedorowicz said. “We have a lot of energy, and a desire to work hard for each other … that will make it happen.”

“We know that we can play well in any game this season,” McMunigal said. “We’re going to play hard as a team and be competitive with any opponent.”