SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team got a 15-point effort from sophomore Danielle Strauf as the Engineers fell to the Skidmore Throughbreds by a final score of 65-52 on Friday evening. With the loss, RPI falls to 4-7 overall and 1-3 in the Liberty League, while Skidmore improves to 8-3 overall and 3-1 in league play.
 
RPI and Skidmore went toe-to-toe in the opening quarter, as the Engineers started strong and held an 18-15 lead under the two minutes remaining mark. A bucket from Siena Smith pushed the lead to three points for RPI before Skidmore scored a pair of baskets before the end of the quarter and held the 19-18 lead after 10 minutes of play.
 
The Engineers gained a lead as large as four in the second quarter before Skidmore found their way once again to edge the Engineers before the end of the half. The Throughbreds led 32-30 at the midway point.
 
The defense for Skidmore continued into the third quarter, as RPI struggled to put up points in the frame. Skidmore grew their lead to 11 points before a solo run of points by Tyler Hormazabal to end the quarter put RPI down by just seven heading into the fourth.
 
A three-pointer from Molly Libby brought the Skidmore lead back down to just four points with 6:01 to play in the fourth quarter, but that was as close as RPI got before the final whistle as Skidmore grew the lead back out to 13 by the end of the game.
 
Backing up Strauf's 15 point effort was a 10 point night from Hormazabal, while Nicole DaPra scored nine points with seven rebounds. Siena Smith also finished with a solid night, putting up eight points with a team-high eight rebounds.
 
For Skidmore, Julia Blanck did her damage at the free throw line, finishing with 26 total points – going 14-for-15 from the charity stripe. Blanck added 15 rebounds and five blocks.
 
RPI returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. when they head to Rochester to take on RIT.