Box Score | RPI Athletics on Instagram

TROY, N.Y. - Senior Ashley Clough scored 20 points and sophomore Shaina Iton had a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team to a 71-64 victory over Skidmore College. RPI has now won two straight games to improve to 7-15 overall and 3-10 in the conference. The Thoroughbreds, who got game-highs of 25 points and 16 rebounds from Kelly Donnelly, fall to 12-10 and 6-7. 

Though the Engineers led for more than 30 minutes of the contest (30:49), the game was close throughout. Rensselaer held a 49-48 lead entering the fourth quarter and the score was tied at 57-57 with 5:58 to play following a three-point basket by Skidmore's Veronica Moceri (Hudson, NH / Alvirne). It was at that point that Rensselaer took control with a 7-0 run over the next 2:34. Senior Bailei Tetrault (Cohoes, NY / Cohoes) scored on a layup for a 59-57 lead before Clough (West Chesterfield, NH / Keene) made a jump shot and two free throws. A made free throw from Kate Goodell (Shaftsbury, VT / Mount Anthony Union) put the home team ahead 64-57 with 3:24 to play in the fourth quarter.

Skidmore answered with the game's next three points, but Iton (Peekskill, NY / Peekskill) made a free throw, Lauren Young (Kirkwood, MO / St. Joseph Academy) hit a jumper and Ellen Boucher (Williston, VT / Rice Memorial) was successful on a free throw for a 68-60 edge with 30 seconds to play.

Clough played 39 minutes, hitting 5 of 13 shots from the field and 8 of 12 from the line. She also had four rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots. Iton blocked one shot to go with her 13 points and 11 rebounds in 20 minutes. Freshman Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, MD / North County) had 11 points with four rebounds, an assist and two steals.

Donnelly (Wynantskill, NY / Averill Park), a guard who had 33 points in the first meeting between the two teams, made 12 of 19 shots from the floor and 1 of 2 from the line for her 25 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Four of her 16 rebounds came on the offensive end, leading to put-backs, and she had an assist, a block and two steals. Junior Migle Vilunaie (Vilinius, Lithuania / Holderness School) also had double digits in points and rebounds, collecting 10 and 10, respectively. She was 5 of 7 from the field for Skidmore, which managed just one three-point basket in 11 attempts (9.1%).

RPI returns to the court on Saturday at 2pm against Union College. Skidmore plays at the same time, hosting Vassar College. Both games are Liberty League contests.