SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—William Smith powered its way to a 62-51 Liberty League women's basketball win over Skidmore College, Sunday at the Williamson Center.
 
The Thoroughbreds split their Liberty League weekend to go 6-4 overall and 1-1 in league play. The Herons win their third straight to improve to 4-6 and 2-0.
 
Veronica Moceri scored a team-high 16 points off the bench for Skidmore. Haley English added 11 points and three assists, and Migle Vilunaite contributed nine points and 12 rebounds.
 
Gabrielle Eure led the Herons with 20 points and 16 boards. She was 10-13 from the floor and scored 10 points on offense rebounds. Kendra Quinn-Moultrie scored 14 points, while Mia Morrison had 12 points and 10 boards.
 
William Smith used a 7-0 second quarter run break open a one-point game. Up 17-16 with 7:10 to play in the half the Herons quickly went up 24-16 before a Moceri jumper that cut it to 24-18 at the 5:38 mark. The guests would work the lead back to 10, 34-24 at the break.
 
William Smith opened the second half on a 12-6 run that to take its biggest lead of the game 46-30 with 5:34 to play in the third.
 
Skidmore mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter. Down 56-40, the Thoroughbreds used a late 11-2 run, including six from English to pare the deficit to seven, 58-51 with 46 seconds to play, but William Smith went four-for-four from the free throw line over the final 34 seconds to close out the win.  
 
The Herons scored 40 points in the paint and had a 55-43 rebound advantage.
 
Skidmore is back in action on Jan. 8 at home against RIT in a 6 p.m. match-up.

COACH BENNETT:
Today was a day that showed the depth of the conference and also showed us how it's going to be all season. No matter what teams non-conference record was every team in conference is very good. William Smith is as complete a team as there is in conference. They have great athletic guards, extremely strong post players and very good ball handling decision makers that can also score the ball.

I am not happy with the outcome but we had a lot of correctable things happen to us. We have to focus on finishing easy shots around the rim and be tough with the ball near the basket. We have to get to loose balls aggressively and we have to box and limit teams second chances. Overall I know we didn't play our best game and I think we got one of their strongest outings.

We have a week to tighten up some loose ends and challenge ourselves to focus in all areas of the game in preparation for two very strong opponents that are both playing at a high level in January.