The Ithaca College women’s basketball team earned its fourth win in a row with a 55–44 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Jan. 18. The Bombers are now 12–3 overall, while RPI falls to 8–7.
Scoring got started for the South Hill squad when sophomore guard Grace Cannon hit a jump shot to make the score 5–2. At the end of the first quarter, the Blue and Gold led 12–11.
In the second quarter the score remained close throughout, as RPI finished the first half with a 29–26 lead. Senior guard Annie Giannone ended the first half with 10 points while Cannon finished with six. Leading the way for the Engineers was senior center Elizabeth Eckhardt with 12 points.
At the start of the third quarter, senior guard Meghan Pickell and junior forward Cassidy O’Malley each shot a pair of jumpers to cut the lead 34–30. The Bombers cut the lead to one when Cannon hit a 3-pointer, which was assisted by Giannone, with 4:01 remaining in the quarter. At the end of the third quarter, the Engineers led 38–35.
Junior guard KellyAnne O’Reilly tied the game up at 38 with a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter for the Blue and Gold. The Bombers took the first lead of the second half when sophomore guard Megan Yawman made a free throw to make the score 39–38. With 4:02 remaining in the game, the Bombers led 44–40.
With just under two minutes left, O’Malley was fouled on a made layup. With the made free throw, she extended the Blue and Gold’s lead to six points. With one made free throw by Cannon and four made free throws by Giannone, the Blue and Gold led 55–44 to seal the victory.
Giannone led the way for the South Hill squad with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. O’Malley finished with 15 points and two blocks. Eckhardt and senior forward LaKissa Martin led the Engineers with 14 points each. The Engineers finished the game with 23 turnovers while the Blue and Gold only had 13.
The Bombers will look to continue the winning streak when they take on the 5–11 Skidmore College Thoroughbreds at 1 p.m. Jan. 19 in Saratoga Springs, New York.
