ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY – The RIT women's basketball team (16-4, 9-2 Liberty League) fought off a late fourth-quarter rally, getting its sixth straight victory in a 58-51 victory over Bard (5-16, 0-11 Liberty League) Friday evening. RIT won its 16th game of the season tonight, setting a program record for victories in a season. RIT had won 15 contests during the 2006-07 season. The six consecutive victories also sets a school record.

The Tigers are currently tied for first in the Liberty League standings with Clarkson, as both teams sport a 9-2 mark. Union is right behind at 8-3.
 
Jessica Glaz (Rockaway Beach, NY/Scholars Academy) led the way for the Tigers, scoring 17 points, adding six assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Tara Lynch (Green Township, NJ/Newton) and Cori Okada (Fullerton, CA/Troy) each scored 10 points, and Julia Bender (Webster, NY/Webster Thomas) added nine points and six rebounds.
 
Tytravia Riley finished with a double-double, scoring 20 points and adding 14 rebounds and five steals to lead the Raptors. Alexis Akingbade added 13 rebounds, while Bianka Bell added 11 points.
 
The Tigers shot a blistering 61 percent from the field from the first half, while holding Bard to just 33 percent shooting in the game, including 3-for-17 from beyond the arc.
 
With the victory, RIT remains perfect against Bard all-time at 10-0. The Tigers beat Bard earlier in the season on Jan. 23, a 72-50 victory.

"We shot the ball really well in the first half, and in the second we couldn't find a basket," said RIT women's basketball head coach Amy Reed. "We have to learn to play defense, and play hard when we aren't shooting well. We will take the win, it's hard to win on the road in this league, but we have to play a heck of a lot better tomorrow against Vassar."

The Tigers went wire-to-wire throughout the game, going on an 11-0 run to end the first quarter after a competitive start. The bench unit also stepped up early. With a minute left in the period, Okada pump faked and drove baseline from the corner, making the layup while drawing the foul, eventually completing the 3-point play. On the final possession of the quarter with the clock ticking down, she caught the ball off the wing, making a midrange basket before the clock expired.
 
The Tigers took that momentum into the second quarter as they pulled to their largest lead of the game at the end of the half. Deft passing by the Tigers led to an open corner 3-pointer by Glaz to push the lead to 20, at 39-19.
 
Bard's offense came alive in the second half. Riley made consecutive baskets for the Raptors to cut the deficit to 14. The Tigers finally scored midway through the third, by a Lynch basket at the foul line. RIT eventually pulled the lead back up to 18, at 50-32.
 
The Raptors would make one final push in the fourth, as they held the Tigers to just eight fourth-quarter points. After a free throw by Bard reduced the deficit to 56-49, with 1:11 left in regulation, Okada drove to the lane and hit a floater that put the game away for good.
 
The Tigers will end their road swing with a matchup against Vassar on Saturday at 2 p.m.