Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Ashley Clough scored a career-high 26 points, but the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team fell to William Smith College, 85-77, this evening in the Liberty League opener for both schools. With the win, the Herons improve to 8-2 (1-0 Liberty), while the Engineers drop to 2-8 (0-1 Liberty). 

A back-and-forth first half saw the two clubs level at 30-all after 20 minutes. Melanie Paterson (Vestal, NY/Vestal0 had a game-high nine points at the break, on 3 of 4 shooting from beyond the arc. Clough (West Chesterfield, NH/Keene) had eight to pace the Engineers.

The game remained tight, with neither team leading by more than four points. The Herons threatened to break away with 9:22 to play, when Ali Pliszka (Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius) hit a triple to give the visitors a 56-49 lead.

The advantage grew to double-digits (60-50) for the first time at the 12:02 mark of the stanza, as Erin O'Brien capped an 11-1 run with a driving lay-up.

Back-to-back threes from junior Courtney Reynolds (San Diego, CA/Rancho Bernardo) and Clough quickly trimmed the RPI deficit to four (60-56), but William Smith came right back, scoring eight of the next 10 points.

The Herons' lead grew to as many as 14 points on three occasions down the stretch, including 79-65 with 2:05 to go. A three from Clough made it an eight-point game (83-75) with 26 seconds left, but that was as close as the Engineers would get.

William Smith saw five players finish in double-figures, including O'Brien and Patterson, who had 16 apiece. Chloe Hayter (Lititz, PA/Warwick) (15 points, 11 rebounds) and Jacqueline Murphy (Slingerlands, NY/Holy Names) (10 points, 11 rebounds) both recorded double-doubles, while Molly Breen (Millis, MA/Millis) chipped in with 10 points.

Aiding Clough offensively was junior Amanda Lynch (Middletown, NY/John Burke Catholic), who had 15 points and nine boards. Sophomore Ellen Boucher (Williston, VT/Rice Memorial) scored 11 points, to go along with two assists and a team-high three steals.

The Engineers are back on the court tomorrow afternoon, when they host St. Lawrence at East Campus Arena (4pm). William Smith travel to Skidmore (2pm).