The Hamilton College women’s basketball team fell victim to hot-shooting Skidmore Monday, dropping an 82-73 non-conference decision at Hamilton’s Margaret Bundy Scott Field House. The Continentals (0-2 overall) climbed out of an early hole to take a second-quarter lead before the visiting Thoroughbreds (4-2) pulled away for good.
Box score
After trailing by 13 points less than five minutes in, Hamilton used a 19-8 run over a 5:03 stretch in the first half to go ahead for the first time. After Sam Graber ’16 gave the Continentals their first lead 3:08 into the second quarter, Claire Hebb ’19 followed with a free throw to put the hosts up 31-29. Skidmore responded by scoring 20 of the last 26 points of the second quarter, then held a double-digit lead until the game’s final seconds.
Graber finished with a game-high 22 points.
Hamilton fell behind 12-0 and 15-2 as the Thoroughbreds made their first four shots – and six of their first seven – to start the game. Skidmore’s opening flurry included four three-point baskets, including a pair by Ari Fustini (who scored 11 points).
Kelly Donnelly paced Skidmore with 19 points. She netted six during the Thoroughbreds run to close the first half, tying the score with a lay-up and putting the finishing touches on the 20-6 stretch by burying a long jumper at the halftime buzzer.
Carly Gruenberg ’16 scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half and added six rebounds for Hamilton. Halie Serbent ’19 collected 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals off the bench. Lauren Getman '18 chipped in eight points, 10 boards and four steals.
Graber, who was honored before the game for reaching 1,000 career points (she accomplished the milestone in Hamilton’s season opener against Rochester Institute of Technology) pulled down six rebounds and led Hamilton with four steals.
Kayla Mitchell came off the bench to score 11 points and Meaghan Flanagan added 10 points – making four of five shots from the floor – for Skidmore, who’s won nine straight over the Continentals. Donnelly, who made eight of 12 field-goal attempts and all three of her free throws, added five rebounds (matching Migle Vilunaite for the team lead) and a team-best six steals.
The Continentals play a 2 p.m. game at SUNY Polytechnic Saturday.
