GENEVA, N.Y. - Hannah McGrath scored a career-high 17 points, four others also reached double figures, and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team shot 48.5 percent from the floor in defeating William Smith College 84-73 in the first Liberty League game of the season for both squads. RPI improves to 4-3 overall, while the Herons fall to 1-4.

A senior guard, McGrath connected on 5 of 6 shots from the field and 6 of 7 from the free throw line. She added four rebounds, a game-high six assists, and two steals in 20 minutes. Nicole DaPra, also a senior guard, scored 14 points with five rebounds, while Molly Libby (13 points), Heather Converse (12), and Lolo Reynolds (10) also had double figure efforts. 

William Smith was paced by Brooke Jarvis, who had a game-high 31 points on 11 of 22 shooting from the floor and 9 of 10 from the foul line, along with seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals. Mara Bledsoe added 14 points with seven rebounds and Maddie Patrick scored nine points with a game-high 12 caroms. The Herons managed to shoot 47.5 percent from the field (28 of 59) but they had nine fewer attempts than the Engineers (33 of 68), despite a rebounding advantage of 43-27.

The game began as a one-possession affair through the first six minutes before Rensselaer went on a 10-0 run for a 24-16 lead with just under two minutes left in the first quarter. Four different players had baskets in the stretch and the visitors went on to hold a 26-20 edge after the first 15 minutes. 

A three pointer by Libby began the second quarter and RPI opened up three different 10-point advantages before a Kerstin Kelly jumper in the paint and a layup from Bledsoe made it a six-point game, 39-33 with just over four minutes to play. A DaPra layup and a free throw by Brielle Sharry pushed the Engineers' lead to nine points, 42-33, and the teams traded baskets until halftime. RPI led 46-37 at the break.

The Herons outscored Rensselaer 12-7 in the first five minutes of the third quarter to get to within four points, 53-49, but a triple by Libby and a layup from Converse in the next two minutes pushed it to a 58-49 lead. RPI increased its advantage to 66-55 on a free throw by McGrath at the end of the frame. 

William Smith once again made a push to open the fourth quarter and got to within five points (70-65) on a pair of Jarvis free throws with 4:28 to play but Ahnalese Pearson drilled a three pointer for a 73-65 lead. Two straight baskets by Jarvis cut it to 73-69 with three minutes to go, but the Engineers again countered from long distance, this time by Reynolds. Julia Rowe followed with a layup and the difference never got under seven points in the final 1:44.

Rensselaer finished 8 of 17 from behind the arc, while the Herons were 4 of 17.