ITHACA, N.Y. – Junior Ashley Bates scored 19 points and had nine boards, while freshman Alyssa Sweeney added 12 points off the bench as Hampton fell 79-53 at Cornell on Saturday.

The hosts jumped out to a 10-3 lead early on a Danielle Jorgenson layup with 6:01 left in the opening quarter, but Hampton responded to tie the game at 15 on a Bates layup with 70 seconds left.  Cornell put some distance in between the teams with a 9-0 run spanning into the second quarter as a Samantha Widmann free throw put them up 24-15 with 7:48 left in the half.

Bates hit another layup with 5:31 left to trim the deficit to 24-21, but that was as close as Hampton got as the hosts closed the half on a 14-3 run to lead 38-24 after a Laren VanArsdale free throw with 1:21 left.

Hampton now heads to New York City to face Columbia in a January 2 matchup at 7 pm.

For more information on Hampton University women's basketball, please contact the Office of Sports Information at 757-727-5757 or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.