Box Score SCRANTON, Pa. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team returned to action on Tuesday evening in a nationally ranked showdown with the University of Scranton as the Royals came out on top 74-53. No. 8/10 Scranton used big first and fourth quarters to hand Ithaca their first loss of the season.
Ithaca had two players reach double digits in points, with forward
Lindsey Albertelli and guard
Cara Volpe scoring 12 and 10 respectively. Albertelli notched a double-double, recording 10 rebounds to lead the Bombers, and forward
Annabella Yorio grabbed nine as well.
The game started quickly, with the first three possessions in the contest resulting in scoring. Volpe scored off a Yorio assist, one of her team-leading four in the game. However, missing their second and third leading scorers proved to be a difficult hurdle to overcome, as points were tough to come by. Three minutes in, the Bombers trailed 8–3 after not being able to convert on some chances close to the basket. Shortly after, the offense started to find its groove, but the Royals would be able to respond on the other end, holding a two-possession lead for most of the quarter. A pair of
Natalie Smith free throws cut the deficit to two with four minutes left, but an 11–4 run for the Royals would extend their lead to 26–17 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Bombers were able to chip away at the Royals lead early. A
Camryn Coffey shot trimmed the Bombers deficit to five, but that was the closest they would get in the quarter. Ithaca's defense was able to hold the Royals to no points for two minutes around the midway point of the quarter, but they couldn't make that count on the offensive side of the court. The Bombers headed into halftime trailing by 10 after a late
Hannah Polce layup shrunk the Royals lead to 40–30.
Ithaca came out of the break and got the scoring started with an Albertelli layup assisted by Volpe, followed up by Coffey sinking the team's first three-pointer of the game two minutes into the third quarter. However, the Royals put their foot on the gas pedal, and extended their lead back to double digits with five minutes left in the quarter. A 12–2 run gave the Royals a commanding lead, as they would end the third quarter leading 52–41. The Royals would lead by double digits for the rest of the game and reaching a 20-point lead with four minutes left. A three-pointer and a layup from Polce resulted in the final score being a 74–53 loss for the Bombers.
The 53 points was a season-low for the Bombers, as was their 32.1% field goal percentage and 17.6% three-point percentage. Ithaca outrebounded Scranton 43–37, but Scranton recorded 12 assists to Ithaca's seven.
The Bombers return to action on at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2 at Ben Light Gymnasium to start their Liberty League play against Vassar College.
