Senior Mia Mascone ’24 shattered Brown’s long-standing record for points in a single season Saturday with 88 points and tied her per-game career-high with 11 points. Despite such achievements, No. 23 Bears’ (9-5, 2-4 Ivy) 19-13 fell to No. 3 Penn (11-3, 4-2).
Brown came out strong, leading 5-4 at the end of the first period, but Penn controlled the final three quarters, outscoring the Bears 15-8 over that time span.
“Penn has a really strong zone defense, but we came out hot and were able to put up five goals in the first quarter,” Annie Burton ‘25 wrote in an email to The Herald. “Penn made some adjustments and definitely made it more challenging throughout the rest of the game than it was in the first quarter.”
Mascone's performance was nothing short of sensational. Scoring five goals and tallying six assists, she finished the day with a staggering 88-point season total, smashing the record for most points in a single season in school history. The previous 78-point record was previously set by Lauren Becker ’87 in 1986.
Mascone’s 11 points tied her career-high for a single game while her 6.29 points per game tied her for first in average points in Division I this year. She holds a considerable advantage over the League’s second-highest point scorer, Harvard’s Riley Campbell, who averages 5.38 points per game.
On Tuesday, Mascone was named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time this season — another conference lead.
Mascone first found the net seventeen seconds into the first period, tying with Becker’s record. After Burton scored to make it 2-0, Penn rattled off three consecutive goals and took the lead. With just over five minutes remaining in the quarter, Mascone assisted Greta Criqui ’25 to tie the game, cementing her place in the record books.
She “is an incredible player, teammate and leader,” Coach Katrina Dowd wrote about Mascone. “She has elevated our team play and helps our offense be dangerous. She is a special player and is having a great season.”
Mascone credited her teammates and coaches for her success. “It's a testament to what our staff has built offensively in just one year, and my teammates who create scoring opportunities for me,” she wrote.
While it was a big day for Mascone, Bruno struggled offensively at times, especially in the second half.
Despite the unfavorable scoreline, Dowd expressed her satisfaction with the team's offensive performance against a strong Penn squad. “They are a top 10 defense in the country … I’m proud that we were able to find our rhythm, be dangerous and put in 13 goals,” she wrote.
Brown has lost three of their last four games as they face a particularly tough part of their schedule.
“The Ivy League has really elevated over the last couple of years and it is especially good this year,” Burton wrote. “It's so fun to be in such a competitive league and to be able to compete with the best of the best. Not only is it fun but it also makes us significantly better as a team and forces us to improve.”
Bruno will look to bounce back this coming Saturday against Cornell. Both coaches and players emphasized the need for energy and preparation.
“We are looking forward to improving in practice with hard work and intelligence,” Dowd wrote. “Cornell is a great opponent. We have to bring our best to practice (in order) to prepare for Saturday's game.”
“One thing that we will definitely bring to the Cornell game is the fight and spirit that we had against Penn,” Burton wrote.
Brown will host Cornell at 1 p.m. on April 27. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Gus Bailey is a Sports reporter who also writes Arts & Culture reviews. He loves sports, music, and watching TV shows. When he's not at The Herald, you can find him playing pickup basketball, working on his podcast, or (most of the time) hanging with his friends.
