PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team secured its first Ivy League win of the season, downing Dartmouth 67-59 on Monday afternoon at The Palestra.

Penn improved to 11-6, 1-3 in Ivy League play; Dartmouth fell to 9-8, 0-4 in Ivy League play.

Quaker Notemeal
*Tina Njike led the Quakers in scoring with 16 points and rebounds (13), her third double-double of the year.

*Simone Sawyer (15), Mataya Gayle (13) and Katie Collins (11) also scored in double figures for the Quakers and Collins once again flirted with a double-double with eight rebounds.

*Penn outrebounded Dartmouth, 41-35.

*The Quakers scored 36 points in the paint.

*The win was Penn's fifth of the season at home, first against a conference opponent this season.

How It Happened
Penn's offensive strategy was apparent immediately out the gates, as Collins dumped it inside for a Njike layup to begin the game. Dartmouth responded with a three-pointer by Zeynep Ozel and a layup by Clare Meyer, taking a three point lead, and began the game hitting three of their first four shots. The Big Green missed their next four, though, and the Quakers took advantage with a 7-0 run marked by Saniah Caldwell getting fouled behind the three-point line and converting on all three free throws. The Quakers kept their feet on the gas pedal as Sawyer nailed a three-pointer for a six-point lead with less than a minute left in the quarter, and they led by five at the end of the first quarter, 18-13.

The second quarter began with a layup for Dartmouth as Cate Macdonald converted, but Caldwell responded with a three-pointer for the Quakers before they entered a cold spell. Penn missed its next four shots before Brooke Suttle scored on a driving layup to give her team a three point lead. However, Alexandra Eldredge immediately responded with a three-pointer for Dartmouth as the game was all tied up at 25. The Quakers retook the lead on a Njike layup off a dish from Gayle, then Collins added a shot from behind the arc as Penn led by six with under three minutes left in the half. Another layup from Njike gave Penn a 33-29 lead at halftime.

Njike immediately picked up where she left off in the first half as she opened the third quarter with another layup inside. Gayle scored the next five points for the Quakers on a layup and three-pointer as Penn took a 10 point lead and Dartmouth called timeout. The Big Green went on a 7-0 run out of the stoppage while Penn missed its next six shots, going on a scoring drought without a field goal for over five minutes. The Quakers finally converted on a Gayle assist to Sawyer for an and-one as they led by five. Sawyer also nailed a corner three at the end of the third quarter as Penn led 50-41 heading into the final period.

Gayle opened the final period with a driving layup, extending Penn's lead, and then Collins went on a personal eight point run in the fourth quarter as the Quakers began to taste victory. Sawyer hit another three, forcing Dartmouth to call a timeout. The Big Green pulled within six on a three by Nina Minicozzi with under a minute and a half left; however, Penn was able to get a few timely stops and Gayle iced the game with a pair of free throws.

Up Next
Penn will continue Ivy League play at Yale on Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 2 p.m.

For the latest on Penn women's basketball, follow @PennWBB on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.