Box Score

GENEVA, N.Y.—  The Skidmore College women's basketball team clinched a Liberty League playoff berth with a 63-50 road win over William Smith College, Saturday afternoon.

The Thoroughbreds (17-3, 9-1) got 10-point efforts from senior forward Dana Leonard (Cooperstown/Cooperstown, N.Y.) and junior guard Christine Kemp (Putnam Valley/Putnam Valley, N.Y.), while senior guard Sharlyn Harper (Holderness/New York, N.Y.) and senior guard Amber Kinsey (Lansingburgh/Troy, N.Y.) each contributed nine points.

The Herons (6-13, 2-7) managed a 43-42 rebounding edge and made five fewer turnovers, but could match Skidmore's depth. The Thoroughbred bench outscored the home team 33-4. William Smith struggled to find its range, connecting on just 24.2 percent of its shots from the floor. Skidmore shot 39.6 percent, but built a 16-point halftime lead by knocking down 43.8 percent from the floor.

The Thoroughbreds wasted little time pulling away from the Herons. Leading 5-2 four minutes in, Skidmore used an 11-4 run to stretch their advantage to 10 with 11:29 left on the clock. The Thoroughbreds continued to steadily pull away down the stretch, taking a 38-22 lead into the locker room.


Skidmore extended its lead to as many as 20 in the second half, but the Herons refused to go away quietly. A 14-5 William Smith surge trimmed the deficit to just eight, 54-46, with 5:37 remaining. Unfortunately for the home team, the Thoroughbreds made their free throws down the stretch to make sure the Herons got no closer. Despite failing to convert a field goal in the final seven minutes of the game, Skidmore prevailed by making 9-of-11 from the line during that stretch.

The Thoroughbreds return home for a Feb. 12 contest against Rensselaer.

SKIDMORE 63, WILLIAM SMITH 50

SKIDMORE (17-3, 9-1 LL)
Dana Leonard 4-9 1-1 10; Christine Kemp 4-6 0-0 10; Amber Kinsey 3-5 3-4 9;
Sharlyn Harper 2-10 4-6 9; Logan Frederick 4-4 0-0 8; Christina Gargiso 2-7
3-4 7; Antonia Williams 1-2 2-3 4; Cyrida Felton 1-2 2-2 4; Kelly Bischoff
0-4 2-2 2; Megan Gaugler 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 21-53 17-22 63.

WILLIAM SMITH (6-13, 2-7 LL)
Kristen Kush 6-18 2-3 14; Ashlinn Barber 3-11 8-12 14; Julie Hooper 3-11 0-0
9; Mollie Danahy 2-9 0-3 5; Sydni Salvatore 1-6 2-4 4; Sarah O'Brien 1-6 1-2
3; Jaimie Rubin 0-4 1-2 1; Chelsea Tracy 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 16-66 14-26 50.

Halftime--Skidmore 38-22.

3-point goals--Skidmore 4-19 (Christine Kemp 2-4; Sharlyn Harper 1-6; Dana
Leonard 1-3; Christina Gargiso 0-2; Kelly Bischoff 0-1; Megan Gaugler 0-2;
Amber Kinsey 0-1), William Smith 4-17 (Julie Hooper 3-7; Mollie Danahy 1-5;
Sydni Salvatore 0-3; Jaimie Rubin 0-1; Chelsea Tracy 0-1). Fouled
out--Skidmore-None, William Smith-Mollie Danahy. Rebounds--Skidmore 42
(Kelly Bischoff 9), William Smith 43 (Ashlinn Barber 17). Assists--Skidmore
13 (Christine Kemp 4), William Smith 13 (Jaimie Rubin 5). Total
fouls--Skidmore 20, William Smith 21. Technical fouls--Skidmore-None,
William Smith-None. A-250