Box Score | RPI Athletics on Instagram

GENEVA, N.Y. - Shaina Iton scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked six shots, but the junior's effort was not enough as the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team dropped a Liberty League contest at William Smith College, 72-58. The Herons improve to 10-3 overall and 4-0 in the conference, while the Engineers are now 5-9 and 0-5. 

RPI held a 15-12 lead after the first quarter with Iton, Kate Goodell and Ines Ortea each registering four points.

William Smith took control of the game in the second quarter, outscoring Rensselaer by 13 points (23-10) for a 10-point lead (35-25) at halftime. After the Engineers took a 21-15 advantage with 7:50 to play, the Herons went on a 20-4 run to end the frame. Natalia Baum scored seven points with two assists and Krista Anken notched six points in that stretch.

Iton scored RPI's first eight points of the third quarter, but the Herons answered each basket and led by nine points, 42-33, with 6:04 remaining in the period. The margin was 12 points (48-36) at 2:33 and continued to be at least eight the rest of the frame.

The Engineers battled to tie the score at 54-54 and again at 56-56 in the fourth quarter, but a 12-0 spurt by the home team between the 3:41 and 1:01 marks put William Smith ahead 68-56. The margin settled on 14 points thanks to the Herons making their free throws at the end. 

Iton made 9 of 18 shots from the field and 5 of 8 from the free throw line for her 23 points. She was joined at the top of the score sheet by Goodell, who had 10 points, along with six rebounds. Senior Lauren Young dished out a game-high six assists. 

William Smith had three student-athletes in double figures in scoring, led by Melanie Patterson's 17 points. Baum finished with 15 and Mia Morrison had 10.