Box Score SALISBURY, Md. – Freshman Jen Rock was one of four to finish in double-figures as the Rensselaer women's basketball team came away with an 88-74 victory over Southern Virginia, in the championship game of the Salisbury Optimist Classic Tournament. With the win, the Engineers improve to 4-2, while the Knights drop to 5-3.

Rock (Byfield, MA/Triton Regional) matched a career-high scoring 14 points, to go along with four rebounds, two assists and a game-high six steals. Senior Hillary McKinley (Quinebaug, CT/Tourtellotte Memorial) recorded her third double-double of the season, notching game-highs in points (15) and boards (12).

Southern Virginia held a brief lead early in the contest, as Cara Joyner (Columbia, MS/Columbia Academy) put the Terriers up 11-6 less than five minutes in. The Engineers fought back and eventually broke away late in the first half, thanks to a 23-5 edge in points off turnovers in the opening stanza.

Rensselaer took the lead for good with 8:27 to play in the first, on a lay-up by McKinley, who had nine points and nine rebounds in the opening 20 minutes. Freshman Amanda Lynch (Middletown, NY/John Burke Catholic) pushed the Engineers' lead to eight points (27-19) with 7:23 left in the half.

Sophomore Kyleigh Oliveira (Agawam, MA/Agawam) and senior Nicole Monroe (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) gave RPI a 47-28 advantage at the break.

A quick start to the second half by the Knights brought them to within 13 points (47-34) of the Engineers, but senior Sarah Wetmore (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln Sudbury Regional) and Lynch made sure that was as close as the would get, putting Rensselaer up 70-52 with 9:31 left in regulation.

McKinley helped the Engineers lead balloon to 20 points (75-55) on a bucket with 7:58 remaining. RPI's lead reached 23 point on three separate occasions before Southern Virginia went on a late run to bring the contest to its 88-74 final score.

The Engineers return to action next Friday, when they host Utica at East Campus Arena (6pm).