Box Score | RPI Fanshop

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Three student-athletes reached double figures in points but it was not enough for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team, which was defeated by Liberty League foe Skidmore College, 77-66. The Thoroughbreds got 33 points and 15 rebounds from Kelly Donnelly in improving to 10-7 overall and 5-4 in the conference. RPI falls to 5-11 and 1-6. 

The game was close through the first three quarters as neither team led by more than a point at the end of the first, second or third frames. Skidmore took control in the fourth, however, outscoring the Engineers, 27-17. They scored 12 of the first 14 points - 10 coming from Donnelly (Wynantskill, NY / Averill Park) - in the first 6:30 for a 63-51 lead. Rensselaer senior Ashley Clough (West Chesterfield, NH / Keene) hit a pair of three-pointers around a Maya Bell (Norwich, CT / Norwich Free Academy) free throw to pull the Engineers to within seven points, 64-57, 1:10 later, but Bell made two more free throws for a nine-point lead (66-57) with 2:02 to play.

RPI eventually dropped its deficit to five points, 68-63, on an Elizabeth Eckhardt (Albany, NY / Guilderland) three-pointer with 1:23 showing on the clock, but Skidmore made its free throws down the stretch to hold on to the victory. Amber Holgate (Easton, MA / St. Andrew's School) connected on three from the charity stripe, Donnelly hit two free throws and Haley English (Wilton, CT / Wilton) had four that went in.

Donnelly, a sophomore guard, was 12 for 17 from the field for 33 points with 15 rebounds, including 10 defensive. She also had a pair of assists and a pair of steals. English finished with 13 points and four assists, while Ari Fustini (Gales Ferry, CT / Ledyard) scored 10 points.

Clough scored 15 points for the Engineers, who were held to 33.8 percent (25 for 74) from the field. She also had five rebounds and two steals. Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, MD / North County) had 13 points with four rebounds and four steals, while Eckhardt added 11 points, including three three-pointers. Shaina Iton (Peekskill, NY / Peekskill) scored eight points while snaring nine rebounds.

Rensselaer returns to the court on Friday at Rochester Institute of Technology (6pm), while Skidmore is in action again on Friday at William Smith College (6pm). Both games are Liberty League contests.