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TROY, N.Y. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team had a chance to tie the game with a three-point attempt with two seconds left in the fourth quarter but the shot hit the rim and bounced out, allowing St. Lawrence University (SLU) to claim victory, 52-51, in a Liberty League contest at East Campus Arena. The Saints have now won four straight games and seven of their last eight to improve to 12-3 on the season. They are 5-1 in the league. RPI falls to 5-10 and 1-5.

Rensselaer battled back from a 12-point deficit at the beginning of the fourth quarter and pulled to within three points, 50-47, with 1:12 to go. SLU's Cara Waterson (Albany, NY / Albany) made a pair of free throws for a five-point advantage, but RPI freshman LaKissa Martin (Las Vegas, NV / Rancho) followed with a layup off an offensive rebound with 45 seconds remaining. The Saints then ran down the shot clock before missing a jumper and the Engineers' Ashley Clough (West Chesterfield, NH / Keene) pulled down the rebound with 10 seconds remaining. The senior dribbled down the court and got off a three-point attempt, but could not connect. The ball eventually went to Elizabeth Eckhardt (Albany, NY / Guilderland), who scored on a layup as time expired for the final margin.

Following a close first half, St. Lawrence led 23-21 at the break, the Saints took control with a 17-9 edge in scoring in the third quarter. SLU had the first nine points - four from Lauren Quattrocchi (Brewster, NY / Brewster) and a three from Waterson - for a 32-21 advantage with 7:16 to play in the frame. RPI's Shaina Iton (Peekskill, NY / Peekskill), who finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds, ended the run with a layup, but the Saints scored the next six points for a 38-23 lead. The Engineers scored the final five points of the quarter, however, to cut the deficit to 10 points, 40-30.

Rensselaer continued to chip away in the fourth, getting to within three points twice, but could not tie the game or take the lead. RPI outscored SLU 21-12 in the final frame.

Iton, a sophomore forward, made 10 of 18 shots from the field and collected eight offensive rebounds. Her 20 points and 13 rebounds were both game-highs. She also had two assists, a steal and three blocked shots. Clough finished with nine points and 12 rebounds, while freshman Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, MD / North County) scored nine points with four rebounds. 

Waterson led the visitors with 13 points, along with three rebounds, while Quattrocchi had 10 points and a game-best seven assists. St. Lawrence shot 46.2 percent (12 of 26) in the second half, while holding RPI to 26.4 percent (19 of 72) for the game.

St. Lawrence, which moved into first place in the conference standings with the victory, plays at second place Union College on Saturday. The Engineers travel to Saratoga Springs to face Skidmore College on Saturday, also at 2pm. Both games are league contests.