Box Score
Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Behind a solid double digit effort from three players, including a game-high 19 points from senior Whitney Coleman, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) defeated William Smith College, 69-60 in Liberty League women's basketball action on Saturday. With the win, the Red Hawks move to 14-5 overall and 6-3 in conference play. The Herons are now 11-9 and 5-4 in the Liberty League.

The win also marks the first time since the 2003-04 season that the Red Hawks have swept the regular season series against the Herons. RPI also defeated William Smith in the ECAC Tournament that year.

After a close start to the game, Coleman (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) helped give the homestanding Red Hawks momentum after sinking a pair of buckets for a 4-2 lead just under two minutes in. The Herons wasted little time getting back into the game, pulling within a point (9-8) at the 14:45 mark on a bucket by Ashlinn Barber (Spencer, NY/Spencer-Van Etten), who led all scorers in the first half with 10 points.

RPI held a five-point lead at 11:48 after a free throw by Sarah Wetmore (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln Sudbury Regional), but the teams proceeded through a scoreless run for the next two minutes until a bucket by William Smith's Erin Cunningham (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) cut the deficit to three (15-12).

The Red Hawks held a 23-16 advantage with 5:52 left in the half before William Smith began to come back, powered by back-to-back buckets by Kristen Kush (Fulton, NY/Fulton) to make it a three-point game at the 4:50 mark.

William Smith tied the game with a shot from beyond the arc by Paige Myers (Massena, NY/Massena), but RPI headed into halftime with the lead once more as senior Elizabeth Barker (Suffield, CT/Cathedral) added a pair of free throws and classmate Caitlyn Charest (Swansea, MA/LaSalle Academy) drained a bucket for a 27-23 lead after the first twenty minutes.

The momentum continued to swing in Rensselaer's favor in the second half as the Red Hawks went on a 7-0 run for the first two minutes, including a pair of buckets by Wetmore. Senior Latasha Coney (Lyons, NY/Lyons) pulled the Herons to within 34-25 at the 18:00 mark, which propelled William Smith to a 9-0 run of their own.

After a back-and-forth battle, which saw RPI holding a 41-39 lead with 9:34 remaining, Coleman scored 11 of the Red Hawks' next 13 points, including four straight buckets for a 54-43 advantage at 6:32.

Behind a number of three-pointers and several jumpers, the Herons were able to pull within 69-60 with 30 seconds left, but the Rensselaer defense and strong play by Coleman, Wetmore and Charest proved to be too much as time expired.

In addition to Coleman, who also had eight rebounds, RPI saw Wetmore add 14 points and seven caroms. Charest finished with 11 points and three assists while Barker put up a game-high 12 rebounds.

William Smith was led by Barber, who had 14 points and seven rebounds. Kush added 12 points while Myers had 11 buckets, including 3 of 6 from three point range. Coney contributed 12 rebounds and a game-best three steals.

RPI is back in action on Friday when it hosts Route 7-rival Union at Robison Gym (6pm). They will face Skidmore the following day at 2pm. William Smith returns home to host St. Lawrence and Clarkson next weekend.