Box Score | RPI Fanshop

TROY, N.Y. - Senior Shaina Iton had 12 points and nine rebounds to lead the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team to a 49-46 victory over St. Lawrence University in a Liberty League game at East Campus Arena. The Engineers improve to 5-3 overall and 2-0 in the conference, while the Saints are now 2-3 and 0-2.

Rensselaer held a 13-point advantage after three quarters, 46-33, and held off St. Lawrence despite scoring just three points in the fourth - all on free throws. The Saints made five shots from the floor in the fourth to cut the deficit to one shot. They had the ball as the clock wound down but could not get a good look in their attempt to tie the game. RPI junior Sam O'Keefe (Allentown, PA / Parkland) rebounded the ball and held it for the final seconds as time expired.

RPI held leads of 13-6 after the first quarter and 29-17 at halftime.

The game began with the teams trading baskets and the Saints going ahead 5-4 with just over four minutes left in the opening period. The Engineers scored the next five points - all from the free throw line - to gain a 9-5 edge. St. Lawrence scored on a free throw of its own to stop the run, but Rensselaer notched the final four points for the seven-point lead. The second quarter saw both teams go on six-point streaks before RPI notched 10 of the final 13 points for a 12-point halftime advantage.

Junior LaKissa Martin (Las Vegas / Rancho) scored nine first half points and Iton (Peekskill, NY / Peekskill) added eight for the Engineers, who shot 34.5% (10 of 29) from the floor and had a 21-16 rebounding advantage. Freshman Katie Frederick (Sunapee, NH / Sunapee) scored nine points with six rebounds on the other end. The Saints connected on 7 of 31 (24.2%) of their first half field goal attempts.

The Engineers increased their lead in the third quarter with the help of eight field goals, including two from Sam Krumbhaar (Glen Burnie, MD / North County) in a nine-second span late in the frame. The final quarter saw the Saints charge back, but they could not get any closer than three points.

In addition to Iton's near double-double, RPI got double-digit scoring efforts from Martin and Krumbhaar, both of whom finished with 11 points. Krumbhaar, a guard, also had four steals and four rebounds with an assist. Martin added two rebounds.

Frederick led all players with 15 points and 11 rebounds. She was the only SLU player in double-digits, though Cara Waterson (Albany, NY / Albany) was close with nine points.

The Saints, who came back to lead the game in rebounding (33-30), hosts SUNY Potsdam in a non-league game on Tuesday (6pm). Rensselaer is idle until December 30 when it travels to Salve Regina for a 1pm game.