CUWomen Thwart Bard; Potsdam Denied
ANNADALE-ON-HUDSON - For nearly a quarter century, the Clarkson University women's basketball team has competed in some sort of conference, and Friday evening the Golden Knights did something they had never done before in limiting the Bard College offense to fewer than 30 points in a 66-27 Liberty League victory.
The Golden Knights improved to 7-8 overall and 2-5 in the Liberty League and will take on Vassar College on Saturday afternoon. Bard remained winless in conference games at 0-7, falling to 1-15 on the season.
Clarkson had its characteristic slow start in the opening minutes but quickly found a rhythm. Bard scored the first basket of the game and still led by a point at the 17:49 mark following another field goal, but Clarkson took the lead at 16:28 and never looked back, striking for an 11-0 run that would produce a double-digit lead. Brad ended a five-plus minute scoring drought with a 3-pointer, but again went cold for another five-minute stretch as Clarkson enjoyed a 15-point advantage with 6:35 to go (22-7). The two teams played virtually even for the rest of the half, as Clarkson closed with a 30-14 edge at the half.
Clarkson didn't shoot particularly well at a 39 percent clip (13-33), but held a modest rebounding advantage and also limited their miscues to eight. The Raptors on the other hand were forced into 16 turnovers and shot just 24 percent (6-25). Three different players scored six points for the Knights in the first half, led by Brooke Butkovsky (Monroe, CT) who scored her three baskets in just seven minutes of action.
The Knights allowed Bard back into the contest with a slow start in the second half, turning the ball over five times and shooting just 1-6 from the floor in the opening five minutes of the final 20 minutes. However, the next minute saw Clarkson bury its next four field goal attempts to give the Knights their first 20-point lead.
Leighann Tomita (Cerritos, CA) and Taliah Pounds (Latham) each scored 13 points to lead the Knights, with Tomita shooting 5-for-6 from the floor and adding four steals. Freshman Raeanne Clabeaux (New Woodstock) recorded her fourth double-double in eight games with 12 points and 11 rebounds, also chipping in six steals. Butkovsky also finished with 12 points.
Prior to Friday's game, Clarkson held former league opponent Alfred College to just 32 points during the 1990-91 season. That same year, the Knights also held RIT, another conference foe, to 33 points. The last time Clarkson held a league opponent under 40 points was Vassar in 2008, a stretch of 56 games.
Hot shooting not enough as Potsdam falls 75-63
POTSDAM DENIED
At Jerry Welsh Gym in Potsdam, SUNY Cortland (10-7, 5-5 SUNYAC) would use the long ball to defeat the Bears by a final score of 75-63. Eight different Red Dragons connected from the three point line as the team's would each knock down 10 three-pointers on the night.
The Bears (4-13, 2-8 SUNYAC) would be the hotter three point shooting team in the first half, talking 34-33 halftime lead. Potsdam knocked down 42.9 percent of their threes on 6-of-14 shooting. Junior Katy Breidis (Canton) led the charge, knocking down three of her five attempts. At the 3:30 mark, Breidis would connect on her second three of the half and sophomore Jessica Kouzan (Webster) would hit from long range on the next possession to end a 7-2 run by the Red Dragons and give Potsdam a 27-24 advantage. Breidisā last three would give Potsdam a 32-29 lead. Two Kouzan free throws ended the Bears first half scoring and gave her a game-high 12 points. The Red Dragons were paced by nine points by senior Micki Volpini who scored nine of the teamās first 11 points to start the half. Cortland was held to 36.7 shooting from the field in the half and only 3-of-13 (23.1 percent) from the three-point line.
The hot shooting would continue as freshman Chenice Russell (Moira) would hit Potsdam's first three-point attempt of the second half. Both teams found little trouble scoring to start the second half as they combined for 27 points in the first six minutes and the game was tied at 47. Sophomore Hannah Kmiecinski (Webster) hit another long range jumper to give Potsdam a 52-50 lead which would be quickly erased as Katrina Davenport hit a three on the Red Dragons next possession as the momentum continued to swing back-and-forth. Cortland would pull ahead by four and Adedoyin Akingba (Brooklyn) hit the first of two free throws. On the next, she hustled to grab her own miss and Kmcienski would knock down another three to tie the game.
However, the Red Dragons would use a late 12-0 run thanks to three long range attempts to pull away.
Breidis led Potsdam with 15 points and Brittany Cohen, the daugher of former Canton Central standout, Hal Cohen, hit 9-of-12 free throws to finish with a game-high 19 points.
The Bears return to action this afternoon as they host SUNYAC foe Oswego starting at 2 p.m..
SLU PREVAILS
The St. Lawrence University women's basketball team held off a second-half comeback attempt by Liberty League opponent Vassar College to pick up a 67-60 victory in Poughkeepsie.
Four Saints reached double-figures in scoring as St. Lawrence extended its current win-streak to ten games and improved to 13-4 and a perfect 9-0 in the league. Vassar fell to 9-7 with a 3-4 mark in Liberty League play.
Sophomore forward Kelly Legg led had a team-high 14 points, while sophomore guard Cassie St. Hilaire recorded 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Senior guard Iris Santoni recorded 12 points, eight of which came in the last two minutes of play, and was 8-for-8 from the free throw line, while senior co-captain Katie Edgerton had 11 points and four rebounds. Rookie guards Kara McDuffee and Allison Cady combined for 16 points and four rebounds. Junior forward Erica Spera contributed a team-high six assists, six rebounds and three blocked shots.
St. Lawrence will play Bard College this afteroon starting at 2 p.m.
