SCHENECTADY, NY -- The RIT (8-9, 6-4 Liberty League) women's basketball team held on for a 56-54 win in Liberty League action at Union College (7-9, 4-6 Liberty League) Friday evening. With the win, the Tigers move into fifth place in the Liberty League standings.
RIT led 14-11 after the first quarter, and 32-28 at halftime. The Tigers outscored Union 19-7 in the third quarter to lead 51-45, and held on in the fourth quarter for the 2-point victory. RIT shot 45.3 percent from the floor on 24-of-53 shooting. RIT made 5-of-13 from beyond the arc, and went 3-of-6 from the foul line.
Brooke Stanley (Minnetonka, MN/Benilde-St. Margaret's) led RIT with 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the floor.
Sabrina Wolfe (Troy, NY/Troy) tallied 16 points, while
Kaleesha Joseph (Somerville, MA/Prospect Hill Academy Charter) finished with 12 points. Joana Santos led Union with 19 points, while Amber Raisner tallied 12 points for the Dutchwomen who shot 35.5 percent from the field.
Leading 14-11 after the first quarter, the Tigers were outscored 27-18 in the second period, including an 18-6 run by the Dutchwomen to take a 9-point lead midway through the second quarter. Wolfe cut the lead to four points with a pair fo free throws late in the half, but Santos drained a jumper with time running out in the second quarter that gave Union a 38-32 lead.
RIT came out motivated in the third quarter, opening the half on a 10-2 run, taking a 42-40 lead on a Stanley jumper with 4:55 remaining. Trailing by one late in the quarter, RIT outscored Union 7-0 over the final 2:36 to lead 51-45.
Alyssa Juergens (Rochester, NY/Hilton) extended the Tigers lead to 10 points on her bucket early in the fourth quarter. Elly Vaughan pulled Union to within two points on her basket with 5:08 to play. RIT's defense held Union to just nine points in the fourth quarter, while Wolfe made two critical free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
RIT returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 1, when the Tigers face William Smith College at 2 p.m. from Geneva, N.Y.
