TROY, NY – The RIT (6-5, 0-2 Liberty League) women's basketball team continued Liberty League action on Saturday with a 73-59 loss at Rensselaer (6-5, 2-0 Liberty League).

Julia Bender (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) and Jessica Glaz (Rockaway Beach, NY/Scholars Academy) led RIT with 14 points apiece. Merissa Maiorano (Rochester, NY/Pittsford Mendon) added nine points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Tigers who shot 29.4 percent from the floor on 20-of-68 shooting. RIT made 6-of-24 from behind the arc and were 13-of-17 from the foul line.

RIT never led, trailing 37-28 at the half. The Tigers trailed by as many as 13 points in the opening half before a mini-run cut the Engineers lead to nine points at the break. RIT shot 29.4 percent from the floor in the first half on 10-of-34 shooting. Maiorano led the Tigers with seven first-half points, while Sarah Wolcott (Cohocton, NY/Wayland-Cohocton)and Bender each tallied five.
 
Glaz drained a 3-pointer early in the second half off a feed from Maria Edwards (Forrest Hill, MD/The John Carroll School) cutting the Rensselaer lead to 37-31. After an Engineers bucket made it 39-31, Bender drained a three at the 18:40 mark to make the score 39-34 Rensselaer. After an Engineers turnover, Maiorano drained a jumper off an assist from Bender cutting the lead to 39-36. It was the closest the Tigers had been since early in the first half.

A pair of Amanda Lynch free throws with 15:15 to play gave RPI a 46-41 lead. On RIT's next possession, Bender was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer, sending her to line for three shots. She drained all three to cut the Rensselaer lead to 46-44 with 14:45 to play.

Unfortunately for RIT, Rensselaer responded with a 12-0 run over a 5:22 span. Lynch's jumper with 9:23 to play gave the Engineers a 58-44 lead, their largest of the afternoon. She finished with a team-high 20 points.

The Tigers managed to get within 10 points of RPI when Taylor Burns (Rochester, NY/Greece Odyssey) made 1-of-2 free throws with a little over five minutes to play in regulation. But, RIT would get no closer as RPI was able to hold on for the win.

Rensselaer held a 48-43 rebounding edge. The Tigers scored 20 points in the paint and 10 points off of 16 Engineers turnovers. With the loss, RIT is 7-17 all time versus Rensselaer.

RIT returns to action on Friday, Jan. 9 when the Tigers host St. Lawrence University at 6 p.m. on the floor of Clark Gym.