PRINCETON, N.J. – The University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team played its first road game since November on Monday afternoon, falling to Princeton in an Ivy League clash, 55-40, in Jadwin Gymnasium.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Junior Jordan Obi led all scorers with 18 points on 6-for-16 shooting, 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
 
*Senior captain Kayla Padilla added 15 points to go with three steals, two assists, and two rebounds.
 
*Senior captain Mandy McGurk and junior Michaela combined for the rest of the points, as McGurk added five and Stanfield scored the final bucket of the game for two.
 
*Junior Floor Toonders led the team in rebounds, pulling in eight. She had two assists and a steal as well.
 
*Penn's largest lead of the game was six points, opening the game on an 8-2 stretch.
 
*The Quakers forced the Tigers into 17 turnovers for the game.
 
How It Happened
The Quakers were the first to strike in the long-time rivalry, getting back-to-back buckets from Obi and Padilla for the 4-0 start. Princeton answered with a layup on the other end, but Padilla and Obi tacked on four more points in the next two minutes to give Penn a six-point advantage less than three minutes in.
 
The Tigers began to find their offensive stride, hitting an eight point stretch to take the lead for the first time at 10-8. Padilla silenced the run with a strong finish down the left side of the lane to draw the game even at the first media timeout, 10-10.
 

1Q 4:33 | Penn 10, Princeton 10

Quakers had as much as a six-point lead so far, but the Tigers answered. Padilla and Obi with all 10 points for Penn, including this great finish at the rim to draw it even at the media break.#FightOnPenn pic.twitter.com/jnjMmSUF2s

— Penn WBB (@PennWBB) January 16, 2023

 
Out of the break, Princeton was the only team to score in the rest of the frame, adding five more points to take a 15-10 lead into the second quarter.
 
Although it was the Tigers first on the board in the restart, Padilla took over with a layup and a three to close the gap to two, 17-15, to push her point total up to 11. However, the rest of the quarter was in favor of Princeton, outscoring Penn 14-2 to carry a 31-17 into the locker room.
 
Padilla and Obi scored all of the Quaker points at the half, with Padilla leading all scorers with 13.
 
The third quarter played much closer, with the Tigers taking a slight 15-12 frame. The two squads traded baskets in the open minute including a layup by Obi and a jumper by McGurk. It was the first points by McGurk in the game, and she followed it with three more at the 6:50 mark after drilling one from the top of the arc.
 
Toward the end of the third, Penn found itself trailing by 20, but Obi helped close that before the break. She hit a fading jumper in the paint and then connected on a right-wing three with a hand in her face, as Penn trailed, 46-29, when the horn sounded.
 

End 3Q | Princeton 46, Penn 29

Much-needed three from Obi helps the Quakers take the energy to the bench, as we enter the final frame. Big quarter ahead for Penn. #FightOnPenn pic.twitter.com/b9799Bwr13

— Penn WBB (@PennWBB) January 16, 2023

 
In the final 10 minutes, Penn put together an 11-9 advantage but the gap was too much to overcome. Obi cored seven of the 11 points, while Padilla added two free throws and Stanfield capped off the scoring with a drive on the left side.
 
Up Next
The Quakers return home on Saturday for another Ivy League matchup, hosting Yale in The Palestra for a 2 p.m., tip.