Jan. 2: The St. Lawrence University women's basketball team fell in its 2015 Liberty League game on Friday evening in Troy, NY to Rensselaer by the score of 63-59. The Saints, who were led by
Allison Cady's 20 points and
Kara McDuffee's 18 rebounds, struggled from the floor as the Engineers rallied late in the second half for the victory.
The Saints (5-3, 0-1) managed to shoot just 28% from the floor, while Rensselaer (5-5, 1-0) shot nearly 40% and earned the win despite committing 22 turnovers. St. Lawrence took 29 more field goal attempts than RPI and held a 49-45 edge in rebounds, but lost the battle in the interior as the Engineers outscored the visitors 28-18 in the paint. Ashley Clough's double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) paced Rensselaer, while Amanda Lynch chipped in 14 points.
"We played very poorly today and deserved the result. We really didn't play well in any phase of the game," said St. Lawrence head coach
Dan Roiger. "It is hard to shoot 28% and win at the collegiate level. We will try to bounce back tomorrow."
Rensselaer took a two point lead into the locker room at intermission up 29-27, but St. Lawrence kept clawing and reclaimed the lead in the second half.
Caroline Dalton's three with 8:31 remaining put the visitors up 48-44, and Rensselaer tied the game minutes later, Cady's jumper put the Saints on top again by two.
Bailei Tetrault's lay-up with 5:22 left tied the game at 50-50, while Dalton later tied it again at 55-55 with just 1:28 remaining. Unfortunately for St. Lawrence, RPI used back-to-back buckets by Lynch and Clough for a 59-55 lead in the final minute to take a four point lead. Dalton's jumper with 20 seconds left made it 59-57, but a Saints turnover in the final seconds while down three allowed Rensselaer to hang on for the Liberty League victory.
McDuffee added 11 points en route to a double-double for St. Lawrence, which will be in action again tomorrow, Saturday, January 3 at 2:00pm against Union College.
