Spectrum News Coverage (with video)
WNYT News Coverage (with video)
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Skidmore College women's basketball senior guard
Kelly Donnelly set Skidmore's all-time scoring record, leading the Thoroughbreds to a convincing 66-38 victory over Union, at the Viniar Center in Liberty League action Friday evening.
The Thoroughbreds (9-8, 7-3 Liberty League) sit in a less congested three-way tie for second place in the league standings. They also complete the season sweep against the Dutchwomen, defeating them by a 60-49 score in Saratoga Springs on Jan. 6.
Union falls to 5-11 overall and 2-8 in the league.
Entering the game, Donnelly needed six points to clinch the all-time mark of 1,590, which was originally set by Skidmore Athletics Hall of Famer Jamie Cumpelik '99. The senior got to work, tallying her sixth point in an all-too familiar fashion: an inbounds pass from fellow senior
Veronica Moceri found Donnelly, as she turned around for a jumper from just outside of the paint at the 5:19 mark of the second quarter.
"I couldn't have done it without my teammates and coaches," Donnelly said after the game. "I owe it all to them. I'm happy about the accomplishment, but it was getting the win that really mattered!"
Donnelly, a two-time Liberty League Player of the Year and WBCA All-American, finished with 23 points, seemingly getting hot from the field after breaking the scoring record. She shot 11-for-21 from the field in the game, and is Skidmore's lone 1,600-point scorer at 1,608. Donnelly also grabbed eight rebounds, passing former teammate Angela Botiba '15 for sixth all-time with 914 boards.
"She's one-of-a-kind amazing talent on the basketball court," said head coach
Darren Bennett. "Coming out of high school we knew she was good, but we didn't have a clue that she would turn out to be this special of a player. I've been around some great players at Division-I, some first team all-conference kids and conference players of the year. Kelly can compete and play the game with those players without a doubt."
"She has developed something different in her game every single offseason and it shows," Bennett added. "She is a caring teammate, very easy to coach and works hard. I hope to have a chance again in my coaching career to coach a kid with her talent and ability to score and rebound. Her accomplishments are individual but her understanding of team and the importance of teammates definitely makes her accomplishments her teammates' as well. Tonight we all witnessed history and I'm glad that I was able to be a small part of it."
Moceri finished with 12 points, adding three rebounds.
Caite Opfer had another strong all-around game with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Haley English tallied five points, five assists and three steals.
Taylor Ong finished with eight points and four rebounds off the bench.
Jenni Barra and Elly Vaughan each tallied nine points to lead Union.
It was a back-and-forth opening quarter for both teams. Union held a 9-6 lead with just under three minutes to go in the quarter, before Skidmore ended the period with five straight points, getting a 3-pointer from Ong and a layup from Donnelly to take the 11-9 lead. The second quarter was more of the same for the Thoroughbreds, with the teams trading baskets and leads for the first 4:41. Donnelly's historic basket broke the 15-15 tie, part of a 12-3 run to take a 25-18 lead into halftime.
Skidmore took control in the second half, outscoring Union 41-20, shooting a scorching 56.7 percent from the field. The Thoroughbreds got the lead to double digits (34-24) for the first time thanks to a 9-0 run. A 3-pointer by Moceri gave Skidmore a 43-28 lead heading into the fourth. The Thoroughbreds would stretch the lead to as much as 31 points in the period, before Union scored in the final seconds for the final margin.
The Thoroughbreds shot 46.8 percent from the field in the game, holding the Dutchwomen to 38.1 percent. Skidmore out rebounded Union by a 35-26 margin.
Skidmore finishes up the road trip at RPI on Saturday at 2 p.m.
