Box Score
Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Powered by double-digit efforts from four players and 64.7% shooting from three-point range, Williams College defeated Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 79-58, in non-conference women's basketball action at East Campus Arena. With the victory, the visiting Ephs improve to 7-1 on the season. The Engineers fall to 1-5.

Williams came out strong in the opening half, jumping out to a 7-2 lead less than five minutes in. The Engineers closed the gap to four (10-6) at 13:49, but the Ephs took control, going on an 18-0 run over the next six minutes for a 28-6 lead at 9:36.

RPI sophomore Hillary McKinley (Quinnebaug, CT/Tourtellotte Memorial) stopped the run at 9:14 with a layup and added another bucket two minutes later to make it 32-12 with 7:30 remaining, but the Ephs continued to pressure. Freshman forward Danny Rainer (Marlborough, MA/Groton School) sank three consecutive layups in the final 1:28 of the half and Williams went into the break with the 46-21 lead.

The Ephs, which were led by 11 points from both Chessie Jackson (Goleta, CA/Dos Pueblos) and Grace Rehnquist (Sharon, MA/Sharon), capitalized on 13 RPI turnovers in the opening half, while shooting 60.0% from three-point range and 51.7% from the field.

In the second half of action, Williams continued to pressure in the paint, taking a 25-point (48-23) lead just two minutes in on a jumper by Taylor Shea (Allendale, NJ/Northern Highlands). RPI struggled to find the basket, but gained momentum after Whitney Coleman (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) and sophomore Laura Easterling (Ventura, CA/Ventura) buried back-to-back buckets to pull the Engineers within 23 (50-27) with 16:17 remaining.

Rensselaer continued to try and chip away at the Ephs' lead, but the visitors matched them basket for basket, allowing the home team to only get within 20-points (74-54) after a pair of successful free throws from junior Allison Connor (Hudson, NY/Hudson) with 1:06 left. It was a close as RPI would get despite a three-pointer at the buzzer from Coleman.

Williams was led by a 16 points effort from freshman guard Jennie Harding (Santa Monica, CA/Santa Monica), who went 4 of 5 from beyond the arc and 6 of 9 from the field. Rehnquist added 14 points while Jackson and Rainer had 13 and 10 points, respectively.

Coleman, who had a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds, also had a game-best five assists and three steals. The Engineers also saw Connor contribute 11 points and seven rebounds. McKinley and sophomore Nicole Monroe (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) each had eight points.

Rensselaer returns to the court on Thursday when it hosts Utica College at 7pm at East Campus Arena. Williams is also in action on Thursday, hosting Western Connecticut State at 7:30pm.