BRISTOL, R.I. – The Curry College women's basketball team battled throughout Wednesday night's matchup at Roger Williams but ultimately fell 68–44 in its first Conference of New England (CNE) action of the season. Despite a strong third-quarter push and a strong bench performance from guard Ella Palanza, the Colonels were unable to overcome the Hawks.

The Conlonels opened the night in a 0-6 hole across the first several minutes, but would go on a 9-3 run and tie the game 9-9 on a free throw by Sophie Hilbrunner with 2:05 left in the first quarter. At the end of one, they trailed by just three points but the Hawks gradually built separation in the second quarter, capitalizing on extra possessions from offensive rebounds and entering halftime with a 28–17 lead.

Curry found their rhythm coming out of the break, delivering their best offensive stretch of the night. Behind Palanza's shot-making, Curry poured in 18 third-quarter points, cutting the deficit to single digits midway through the frame. Palanza was outstanding, scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including a perfect 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, while also collecting nine rebounds to lead all Curry players.

Forward Sophie Hilbrunner added 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists while converting 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Lauren Morse chipped in eight points with two three-pointers, and Libby Harris provided a spark off the bench with four points. Defensively, Kasey Reeves and Samantha Conti contributed valuable rebounding and perimeter pressure, combining for 10 boards.

Roger Williams pulled away for good late in the third quarter, fueled by the hot shooting of Sophia Coppola, who finished with a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds. The Hawks' interior presence also proved difficult to match, as they outrebounded Curry 44–33 and earned 26 trips to the free-throw line.

While Curry shot 29 percent from three, the team struggled overall from the field at 30 percent and finished with 17 turnovers. Roger Williams' depth and timely scoring ultimately made the difference as the Hawks sealed the 24-point conference win.

The Colonels (1–3, 0–1 CNE) return home this weekend, hosting the Saints of Emmanuel College on Saturday afternoon at 4 PM.