ITHACA, N.Y. (January 21, 2011) – The Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team fell to Ithaca College, 55-52, in a matchup of conference unbeatens on Friday night at Ben Light Gymnasium in Ithaca, N.Y. The Ducks (12-2 overall, 5-1 Empire 8) held Ithaca (11-5 overall, 7-0 Empire 8) scoreless over the game's first 5:59, but the Bombers were able to overcome an early 10-point deficit to earn the win.
Junior Jillian Barrett (Philadelphia, Pa.) scored the game's first four points and the Ducks forced turnovers on the first three Ithaca possessions to open up a four-point lead three minutes into the game. A hard drive to the basket by senior forward Paige Armstrong (Fair Haven, N.J.) pushed the Duck lead to six and after another Stevens stop, a Barrett jumper from the right baseline upped the early advantage to eight.
Sophomore forward Devin Shea (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.) finally was able to get Ithaca on the board with a driving layup 5:59 into the first but three-pointers from freshman Jen Thompson (Linwood, N.J.) and Dawn Garcia (Brooklyn, N.Y.) sandwiched around another Ithaca bucket gave the Ducks an early 14-4 edge.
Six-straight points from the Bombers cut the lead to four (14-10) with 10:30 left in the first and after turnovers on both ends of the floor, senior forward Elissa Klie (Wyckoff, N.J.) brought Ithaca within two with under nine minutes to play in the first.
Junior guard Isaura Guzman (Union City, N.J.) buried a triple from the right wing to push the Duck lead back to five, but Ithaca outscored Stevens 10-2 over the game's next five-plus minutes to take a 22-19 lead with 4:08 left in the opening period.
Following a Guzman put-back, the Ducks regained the lead at 25-24 with just over one minute left in the half, but a jumper from junior guard Jessica Farley (South Dayton, N.Y.), a Klie free throw, and a another jumper from Farley gave Ithaca a 29-25 lead headed into intermission.
Barrett and Armstrong had eight and six points, respectively, in the first 20 minutes while, Guzman added five. The Ducks had 11 turnovers and just three assists, but did out-rebound Ithaca, 21-20. Stevens shot 35.7 percent (10-of-28) from the field and 21.4 percent (3-for-14) from three.
Ithaca shot 36.1 percent from the field and connected on one of their nine attempts from long range. The Bombers had six turnovers and five assists and were led by nine points and three rebounds from freshman guard Kathryn Campbell (Spring Lake, N.J.).
Five points in less than one minute thanks to a three from Guzman and a short jumper from Garcia gave Stevens a 30-29 edge to start the second half, but the Bombers answered with a 5-0 spurt to match its largest lead of the game at 34-30.
Barrett's 10th point brought the Ducks back within two, but Farley answered on the other end with a triple to push the Ithaca lead to five with 15:40 remaining. Freshman forward Avis Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.) slowed the Bomber momentum, and following a stop on the next possession, a Barrett offensive rebound and layup brought Stevens back within one. Junior guard Victoria Webber (Silver Spring, Md.) then gave the Ducks a 38-37 lead with 13:13 to play.
Each team struggled mightily over the next seven minutes as the two squads entered the final six minutes with the scoreboard showing 41-40 Ithaca.
With 5:49 to go, Farley hit a pair at the free-throw line to give the Bombers a three-point lead, and backed that up with a long jumper from the top of the key to make it a 45-40 game. A Stevens turnover on the ensuing possession, gave Ithaca the chance to extend the lead and senior guard Jordan Confessore (Kendall Park, N.J.) made the most of it with a three-point play to give Ithaca an eight-point lead with 4:49 left in regulation.
After the two teams traded baskets, Stevens scored 10 of the game's next 15 points to cut the lead to three (53-50) with 41 seconds left following a three from Garcia. The Ducks, who had the possession arrow, forced a jump ball on the next possession and Barrett went baseline to bring the Ducks within one with 30 seconds left. Ithaca converted a pair on the next possession and two Stevens attempts from three on the final possession could not find the bottom of the net as Ithaca escaped with a 55-52 win.
Barrett ended the game with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Garcia scored 10 and grabbed nine boards. Armstrong ended the game with nine points and five rebounds, and Guzman netted eight.
Stevens shot 39.6 percent from the floor and 25 percent from three. Each team grabbed 36 rebounds, but the Ducks committed 25 turnovers, while assisting on just six of their made baskets.
Ithaca was held to 35.5 percent shooting for the game, and the bombers were just 2-for-18 from long range. Confessore led Ithaca with 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting. Campbell was the only other Bomber in double figures with 12. She also had a team-high seven rebounds.
Stevens will return to action on Saturday afternoon at Empire 8 foe Elmira College. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.