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TROY, N.Y. - Kelly Donnelly scored 29 points with nine rebounds to lead the Skidmore College women's basketball game to a 60-55 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in a Liberty League game at East Campus Arena. The junior guard scored five points in the final 1:23 to help the Thoroughbreds end Rensselaer's comeback attempt.

Skidmore improves to 10-6 overall and 7-1 in the league, while the Engineers fall to 6-11 and 1-7.

After trailing by six points after the first quarter (16-10) and 12 at halftime (36-24), RPI mounted its comeback in the third quarter when it outscored the Thoroughbreds, 16-5, to pull to within a point, 41-40, after three quarters. In the third frame, neither team scored until RPI's LaKissa Martin (Las Vegas, NV / Rancho) put in a layup with 6:28 to play. A three-point basket by Elizabeth Eckhardt (Albany, NY / Guilderland) pulled the home team to within seven points, 36-29, but a three by Donnelly (Wynantskill, NY / Averill Park) pushed Skidmore's lead back to double digits. 

A 9-0 run by the Engineers, which saw Martin score score five points and Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, MD / North County) get the other four, made it a 39-38 game with 1:21 left in the third. The teams traded baskets going into the fourth quarter. RPI held Skidmore to just 2 of 17 (11.8%) shooting in the quarter, while making 4 of 20 (20%) from the floor and 7 of 7 (100%) from the free throw line.

Rensselaer took a 42-41 lead early in the fourth and the score remained within two points until Donnelly and Haley English (Wilton, CT / Wilton) pushed it to 51-47 with 2:51 to play. Eckhardt countered with a three-pointer and the teams again went back-and-forth until Donnelly made a jumper from the paint near the free throw line (1:23) and a layup (1:06) for a five-point advantage, 57-52. Martin countered with a three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining to make the score 57-55, but Ari Fustini (Gales Ferry, CT / Ledyard) made two free throws and Donnelly added one for the final margin, 60-55.

Donnelly, the reigning Liberty League co-Player of the Year, made 12 of 24 shots from the floor and four free throws for her game-high 29 points. She also had an assist and three steals in 38 minutes. Veronica Moceri (Hudson, NH / Alvirne), who played all 40 minutes, had 13 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Shaina Iton (Peekskill, NY / Peekskill) registered a double-double for RPI, scoring 10 points and grabbing a game-high 19 rebounds, along with six blocked shots. Martin finished with 16 points, while Kate Goodell (Shaftsbury, VT / Mount Anthony Union) had eight points and 11 rebounds. Krumbhaar scored 12 points, 10 from the free throw line (10 of 10).

Rensselaer's next game is Saturday afternoon at 2pm when it welcomes Union College to Troy. Skidmore hosts Bard College at the same time. Both games are league contests.