Box Score
Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – A lay-up by senior Elizabeth Barker (Suffield, CT/Cathedral) gave the Rensselaer women's basketball team a 55-54 lead with 31 seconds left and the host Red Hawks held on for a 59-54 victory over Mount Holyoke, at Robison Gym. With the win, Rensselaer improves to 6-2 on the season, while the Lyons fall to 1-6.

Barker finished with 16 points and a team-high eight rebounds, while classmates Whitney Coleman (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) and Caitlyn Charest (Swansea, MA/LaSalle Academy) had 18 points and five boards apiece. Charest added a team-best two assists to go along with a game-high five steals.

Mount Holyoke freshman guard Christine Chancy (Bay Harbor Island, FL/Miami Country) recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds – both team highs. She was aided offensively by senior Katie Austen (Mount Sinai, NY/Mount Sinai) who finished with 10 points and five boards.

Rensselaer took an early 12-6 lead on a lay-up by Barker at 13:15 of the first half. Mount Holyoke then went on a nine-point run to move ahead 15-12 with 7:38 to go. The Lyons held a steady lead throughout the first 20 minutes and took a 26-22 advantage into the locker room, thanks in part to consecutive baskets by freshman Emma Washauer (Mill Valley, CA/Tamalpais) to close out the half.

In the second, the Red Hawks used an 8-2 run to take a 34-31 lead at 14:28. The Lyons answered with an 8-2 run of their own to reclaim the lead at 39-36, with just under 12 minutes to play.

Chancy and Coleman traded baseline jumpers with 2:06 remaining, as Mount Holyoke held on to the slimmest of leads at 54-53.

After two empty trips each way Barker was able to grab an offensive rebound and bank home the go-ahead basket for the Red Hawks with 31 ticks on the clock. Charest came up with a steal on the ensuing possession and made two free throws to extend the RPI lead to 57-54.

Two more Charest free throws with 14 seconds left brought the game two its final margin.

The Red Hawks are idle until January 2, when they visit Middlebury (7pm). RPI returns home on January 6, when it hosts Colby-Sawyer (2pm) at Robison Gym. The Lyons return to action on Saturday, when they play host to Roger Williams (1pm).