Box Score
Box Score

TROY, N.Y. - Behind a game-high 23 points from graduate student Whitney Coleman, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team came-from-behind to beat Clarkson University, 73-65, in Liberty League action on Friday.  RPI is now 12-7 and 7-1 in conference play, while the Golden Knights fall to 4-15 and 1-8 in the Liberty League.

Trailing 34-28 at halftime, the Engineers pulled back into the game behind back-to-back three pointers from freshman Kirsten Orrell (Millbury, MA/Millbury) and junior Allison Connor (Hudson, NY/Hudson) to lead 40-38 at 14:26.

The Golden Knights kept things close as junior Lauren Pluchino (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) nailed a shot from beyond the arc to pull the visitors to within three (54-51) with 8:34 remaining.

Rensselaer, which shot 44.7% in the second half, held a 60-55 lead at 6:02 on a jumper by Amanda Brophy (Scituate, MA/Milton Academy), but Coleman (Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Etiwanda) put the Engineers in line for the win quickly, dropping in five straight points, including a pair off a crucial steal to give RPI a 10-point lead with 4:54 remaining.

Clarkson got as close as six points (67-61) on a pair of successful free throws by sophomore Chrissy Scanlon (Queensbury, NY/Lake George), but the Engineers played solid defense down the stretch to secure the victory.

Both teams got off to a slow start in the first half as Clarkson found a rhythm first, going up 6-2 at the 16:09 mark. RPI battled back to take a 10-8 lead behind back-to-back three pointers from Coleman, but the Golden Knights went ahead once more.

A back-and-forth battled ensued for the majority of the stanza as Clarkson slowly pulled away, holding a six-point lead at halftime.

In addition to her game-high in points, Coleman also added nine rebounds, two assists, three blocks and a game-best five steals. Connor posted 14 points in the victory with eight boards, while Orrell had nine points.

For Clarkson, sophomore Carey Turner (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) also had a game-high 23 points, going 10 for 12 from the free throw line. Pluchino added 15 points, while senior Michelle Reddinger (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) had 10 points and six rebounds.

Both teams return to action on Saturday as RPI hosts St. Lawrence at East Campus Arena. Game time is 2pm. The Golden Knights head to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., for a 2pm tilt at Vassar.