MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – The Skidmore College women's basketball team suffered a 69-57 loss on the road at Middlebury College Saturday afternoon at Pepin Gym.  Skidmore will open Liberty League play Tuesday night when they host Union College for a 6 p.m. start.

            The Thoroughbreds fall to 3-8 on the season, while the Panthers improve to 6-6 before opening NESCAC play at Bates and Tufts next Saturday.

Skidmore came out strong early with an 8-0 run behind a pair of three's from Sharlyn Harper, taking a 16-9 lead at the 13:08 mark. Middlebury answered the run with an 11-1 spurt of its own, holding a 20-17 advantage with 9:06 left in the first half. The lead went back and forth in the final minutes of the half, with the Panthers taking a 34-31 lead into the intermission.

            Middlebury opened the second half with an 8-0 run behind a pair of hoops from Kaitlyn Fallon to take a 41-33 lead. The Thoroughbreds cut the lead to one on three different occasions, before tying the game at 54 on a hoop from Laura Michel with 6:03 remaining. The Panthers went on a quick 8-0 run with a pair of buckets from Alana Wall, taking a nine-point lead at 63-54 with just 2:45 left to play. Middlebury sunk 4-4 free throw down the stretch to seal the 69-57 win.

Dana Leonard led Skidmore with 13, while Kellye Caufield scored 11.  Michel finished with eight points and four boards.

Ashley Barron had 13 points to lead the Panthers, followed by Fallon and Wall with 12 points each.


BoxScore:http://cat.middlebury.edu/~sports/winter_sports/womens_basketball/archive/2008-09/SKIDWOM.HTM