RPI EDGES SAINTS, 53-44

Jan. 25: The St. Lawrence women’s basketball team suffered their first conference loss of the season Friday night as the Saints fought for 40 minutes against an evenly-matched RPI squad, but Red Hawks prevailed, winning the game 53-44 in Liberty League action in Burkman Gymnasium.

It was the Saints’ first loss since November 20 th, when they were upended by Potsdam State.

RPI started out with six unanswered points in the first 3:37 of the game, but the Saints responded with a jumper by junior Katie Palmer (Bourne, MA/Falmouth Academy) and two shots from three point range from senior Jamie Wolff (Buffalo, NY/Nardin Academy) to tie the game 8-8 with 13:18 left in the first half.

The Saints were unable to get past the strong defense of the Red Hawks in the first 20 minutes and never took the lead, but were able to keep it a one or two possession game, only allowing RPI to increase their lead to six at two different points in the half. St. Lawrence made it a two-point game with 1:05 left on the clock, but the Red Hawks’ Missy Jackman, who led RPI’s offense in the first period, made a three with 17 seconds left to give her team a 28-23 edge heading into halftime.

The second half brought the only two lead changes of the game, as the Scarlet and Brown took the lead after Palmer posted two from the free-throw line with 9:04 remaining to give St. Lawrence a 40-38 edge over the Red Hawks, who would promptly answer with a layup by Tory Lyons to tie the game for the eighth time with 40 points a piece.

That would prove to be the only time the Saints would lead, despite Palmer tying the game once more 44-44 with 3:05 to go, but RPI’s tough defense kept the Saints scoreless in those last minutes as they ended the game with a 9-0 run.

Palmer led the Saints with 15 points, while Wolff tallied 10. RPI’s Elizabeth Barker earned a double-double, scoring a game-high 18 points and 10 rebounds.

St. Lawrence, now 13-2 overall and 3-1 in the conference, will face Vassar College Saturday afternoon in conference play. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00pm in Burkman Gym.