Box Score | Season Preview Video

TROY, N.Y. - After scoring 25 points in the first half, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team scored 33 points in the third quarter alone and the Engineers defeated Gordon College, 77-62, in a non-league contest at East Campus Arena. The Engineers improve to 2-0, while the Fighting Scots fall to 0-2.

Senior Elizabeth Eckhardt led RPI with 21 points, including six three pointers, along with five rebounds. Classmate LaKissa Martin added 16 points with six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a pair of blocks and Sam O'Keefe, also a senior, chipped in with a game-high seven assists. Junior Ines Ortea and freshman Brielle Sharry both had 11 points in the win.

Gordon was paced by Meghan Foley, who scored 15 points, and Brooke Dyson, who scored 12. 

The Fighting Scots held a 10-8 lead after the first period and Rensselaer had a 17-15 edge in the second. The third saw the Engineers connect on 13 of 20 shots (65.5%), including four three-pointers, while holding Gordon to 45.5% (5 of 11) to build a 16-point lead. The turning point came in a three minute stretch in which RPI went on a 16-3 run in which Eckhardt scored 12 points, including three three-pointers.

The visitors cut their deficit from 19 points (63-44) to 10 points (72-62) with 1:09 to play in the fourth quarter, but Rensselaer's defense kept them from scoring again.

The Engineers are back home on Friday afternoon when they play Farmingdale State at 4pm. Gordon hosts a tournament beginning on Friday when it plays Simmons College at 7pm.