A combined attack and skilled defense led the St. Lawrence University women's basketball team to a 72-66 win over No. 22 Ithaca Friday evening at Burkman Gymnasium. Junior Meghan Hynes netted a season-high 20 points, shooting 10-for-16 from the field, and first-year Katie Frederick tabbed her fourth double-double of the season with 12 points (5-for-11) and 16 rebounds.
 
After tonight's result, both teams moved to 9-4 on the season and 4-2 in Liberty League play.
 
In addition to Hynes and Frederick, Cara Waterson recorded a team-high three steals, while Katie Gallagher added two steals, nine points and three rebounds.
 
In a tough battle from the start, the Saints edged the 22^nd-ranked Bombers 14-9 midway through the first quarter. Grace Cannon landed a 3-pointer narrowing the cap to just two after the first frame.
 
The Saints held a narrow lead heading into the second, and only slightly edged the Bombers throughout the beginning of the second. Meghan Pickell gave Ithaca their first lead of the game with around seven minutes to play in the second frame. The Scarlet and Brown quickly regained control, carrying a four-point advantage into the break. The Saints shot 62.5 percent from the field in the first half.
 
Both teams battled back-and-forth in the third quarter, tying the game twice more. Hynes hit a layup giving the Saints a six point lead early on. The Saints' defense, currently ranked ninth in the nation, worked hard to fend off a rallying Bombers squad. First-year Julia Breit added a layup putting the Saints up by three heading into the final frame.
 
The Scarlet and Brown controlled the scoreboard for the last ten minutes of play, building a 68-58 lead with about four minutes remaining in regulation. A series of free throws from Waterson and Kaelyn Kohlasch down the stretch secured a victory for the Saints.


 
"It was a real exciting win for the women tonight," said head coach Dan Roiger. "Ithaca is a really good team with lots of athletes who are well coached. We knew that they would come after us with their run and jump press and I thought our players really competed for the ball and found open teammates well. Our defense was solid and overall we did a nice job on the boards against some good players."
 
"It was an exciting game that could have gone either way. We made a couple of plays around the four minute mark and what had been a one to four point game was suddenly eight. That's the way it is when two evenly matched teams play each other. Stay close, make a few plays at the end, and then close it out at the line and on the defensive end. We were able to do that tonight."
 
The Bombers were led by Cassidy O'Malley with 27 points and three rebounds, while Julie Yacovoni added 12 points and eight rebounds. Pickell rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points. O'Malley and Yacovoni each added two blocks for Ithaca.
 
The Saints will take on Union tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.