CLINTON, NY – Despite an early deficit following the first quarter, host Hamilton College rallied for an 80-75 victory over the 18th-ranked University of Rochester women's basketball team on Saturday afternoon at the Margaret Bundy Scott Field House.
 
Rochester (6-1) jumped out to an early 15-2 lead in the opening minutes and led 22-9 after the opening quarter.
 
The Continentals (5-1) responded in the second quarter, bookending the period with an 11-3 run out of the gate and closed with a 12-3 spurt, taking a two-point lead into halftime, up 41-39.
 
In the second half, the teams remained close with Hamilton building its biggest lead up to eight points, up 74-66 following an Emma Sehring layup with 1:59 to play in the contest.
 
The Yellowjackets press forced a few Hamilton turnovers and UR scored the next five points to cut the lead to three with 30 to play.
 
Down the stretch, Hamilton made its free throws, sinking six in a row to ice the game away. Rochester also committed a key intentional foul in the closing possession, giving Hamilton two free throws and the ball in the closing seconds.
 
Alexis Sestric made a 4-point play with under ten seconds left to reach the final margin of five points. The senior ended up leading UR with a season-high 17 points, making three 3-pointers on the night. She also ended with a team-high four assists.
 
Callie McCulley finished with a double-double, ending with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Maura Leverone chipped in 10 points and four rebounds.
 
Taylor Lambo led the Continentals with a double-double, scoring 23 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, adding four assists in the win. Althea Hill sank three 3-pointers and had 17 points, while Sehring ended with 12 points. Emily Hall stuffed the stat sheet for Hamilton, recording 7 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists.
 
In the first, the Yellowjackets raced out to the big margin thanks to some terrific defense, holding Hamilton to 1-for-9 shooting over the opening seven minutes.
 
During that time, UR led 15-2, with Sestric, Katie Titus and Hailey Bruneau each scoring at least four points. Kelsey Stites ended the run with a layup, scoring two of her season-high eight points.
 
Early in the second, Hall and Lambo scored the opening four points before Leverone sank a triple to boost the lead back up to 12.
 
Hamilton scored seven straight after that, with Hill draining a three and Lambo and Courtney Shay scoring layups, trimming Rochester's lead to five with 7:33 left in the half.
 
Over the final three minutes of the period, Hamilton outscored the Yellowjackets by nine to head into the halftime break with the lead. Hill scored four points in the run, with Maria Mercardo Rengel draining a 3-pointers with 30 seconds left before intermission.
 
Rochester's next contest is a big matchup with nationally ranked Ithaca on Wednesday night at the Palestra at 6 pm.