ITHACA, N.Y. – A strong fourth quarter from Skidmore doomed the Ithaca College women's basketball team as it fell to the Thoroughbreds, 61-59.
 
The loss is just the fourth on the season for the Bombers and the second Liberty League setback as they are now 15-4 with a 10-2 conference mark. The loss also ends a seven-game winning streak for IC.
 
Skidmore started to chip away at Ithaca's double-digit lead in the third quarter and tied things up, 47-47, with 7:05 left to play in the fourth.
 
After back-and-forth action between IC and the Thoroughbreds, Skidmore tied it up twice more before taking a lead with 1:26 left. The Bombers cut it down to one point with 26 seconds left on an Annie Giannone layup before a series of free throws pushed the Thoroughbred's advantage up to four points.
 
Another layup from Giannone with five seconds left cut Skidmore's lead back down to two points, but time was not on IC's side, leading to the loss.
 
Although Ithaca maintained a small lead for much of the game, the contest proved to be a battle from the start.
 
A 3-pointer from Kate McCarney at 8:33 in the first gave Skidmore a 5-3 advantage which would hold for nearly three minutes as neither team scored.
 
Senior Allie Tunick ended the scoring drought with a shot from behind the arc and sophomore Grace Cannon followed that up with another 3-pointer with 5:07 left to give IC a 9-5 edge. The Bombers then scored four more points on two Meghan Pickell free throws and a bucket from Cassidy O'Malley to extend the lead to eight points.
 
After Ithaca took its biggest lead of the first quarter – nine points – Skidmore chipped away and came within three points with seven seconds left, after a Jessica Centore bucket.
 
Centore opened up the second quarter with a 3-pointer just 56 seconds in before Cannon netted five straight points for the Bombers' on a 3-pointer and a jumper.
 
Ithaca build its lead back up to nine points, 33-24, with 1:26 left on a Sara Jackson layup before Caroline Merguerian scored on a layup to end the quarter.
 
The Bombers came out of the break to score six straight points, taking their first double-digit lead of the game. Cannon netted a jumper a 9:24, followed by four straight IC free throws.
 
Ithaca continued to maintain a double-figure lead until the final minute of the third quarter when Skidmore hit two free throws to end the quarter.
 
The Thoroughbreds kept the momentum going in the fourth quarter, scoring the first eight points, which tied the game up and led to Skidmore's eventual win.
 
Cannon notched a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Bombers. Giannone finished the day with 11 points and five assists while O'Malley scored 10 and grabbed eight rebounds.
 
Skidmore's Taylor Ong led all scorers with 17 while Centore and McCarney had 13 apiece.
 
Ithaca is back in action tomorrow with a 2 p.m. game against RPI. Prior to the game, IC will honor its five seniors – Annie Giannone, Sara Jackson, Meghan Mazzella, Meghan Pickell and Allie Tunick.