Box Score | RPI Fanshop

TROY, N.Y. - Sophomore Elizabeth Eckhardt scored a game-high 20 points and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) defense forced 29 turnovers in defeating Middlebury College, 50-47, in a non-league women's basketball game at East Campus Arena. The Engineers snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 4-4, while the Panthers saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Middlebury is now 3-1.

The game was tied 33-33 after three quarters and the teams continued to trade baskets in the fourth quarter. With the score tied 42-42, Rensselaer got a layup from junior Shaina Iton (Peekskill, NY / Peekskill) with 2:55 to play and a pair of free throws from sophomore Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, MD / North County) within a minute later for a lead (46-42) that the Engineers would not relinquish. Freshman Betsy Knox (Bethesda, MD / Walt Whitman) knocked down a jumper to pull the visitors to within two points (46-44), but Krumbhaar made two more from the foul line for a 48-44 advantage.

A Catherine Harrison (Duxbury, MA / Duxbury) free throw followed by a layup from the center after a Krumbhaar free throw pulled Middlebury to within 49-47 with seven seconds remaining, but Eckhardt (Albany, NY / Guilderland) made a free throw of her own and then stole the ball off her missed second shot and the game ended in RPI's favor.

A guard, Eckhardt made 7 of 12 shots from the field (3 of 4 from three) and 3 of 4 from the free throw line for her 20 points. She also had a rebound and three steals. Krumbhaar added 12 points (7 of 9 from the free throw line), two rebounds, two blocked shots and three steals, while Iton had six points, a team-high 10 rebounds, an assist, three blocked shots and four steals.

Harrison finished with a double-double of 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, along with an assist and four blocked shots in 39 minutes. She was the lone Middlebury student-athlete in double figures in points as the Panthers managed to shoot just 28.6% (14 of 49) from the floor. Defensively, they held the Engineers to 29.6% (16 of 54) while causing 20 turnovers. Sophomore Alex Huffman (Lynn, MA / KIPP Academy) had five steals, along with seven points, seven rebounds and three assists.

Middlebury returns to action on Tuesday when it hosts Colby-Sawyer in a non-league game at 7pm. Rensselaer plays again on Wednesday at Utica in a non-conference contest (6pm).