POTSDAM, N.Y. – The No. 11 ranked Ithaca College women's basketball team played a tough Clarkson team on the road on Friday evening as the Bombers used a balanced scoring effort to prevail 72-64 over the Golden Knights. Ithaca who improves to 20-2 overall and 15-0 in the Liberty League have now reeled off 14-straight wins and clinched either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the upcoming Liberty League Championship tournament.

Emily Dorn got the scoring started for both teams as she netted a layup off an early Clarkson turnover. The Golden Knights answered with a 6-0 run that was capped off by a pair of made free throws from Bella Doyle. Ithaca would respond with a scoring stretch of their own and would tie it up at 12 points a piece when Graycen Dubin drove the ball into the paint and dished it to Camryn Coffey who cashed her 3-point attempt. The Golden Knights continued to persist offensively and built a four-point lead with a 3-pointer from Cassidy Dumont and led 18-16 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second period the momentum shifted with Ithaca holding Clarkson to just 12 points on 5-of-14 shooting within the period. Clarkson scored the first five points of the quarter to go up 23-16, but Cara Volpe sparked the offensive attack, and the Bombers eventually got the 24-23 lead on a nice combination play from both Brady Lynch and Annabella Yorio who made the layup. The Bombers would build a seven-point advantage at 32-25 with a Lindsey Albertelli jumper and would carry 36-30 lead into halftime with Albertelli scoring the last bucket of the period.

Clarkson outscored IC 19-14 in the third, which made things interesting entering the fourth quarter with Ithaca up 50-49. Emily Dorn netted a layup 16 seconds into the fourth and the Bombers would build a nine-point lead (61-53) as she converted at the line with 6:06 remaining. The lead would stretch to as much as 11, but a cold spell from the field brought the Golden Knights within three points at 67-64. Those free throws were the final points scored by Clarkson as Natalie Smith added three made free throws down the stretch, which iced the victory.

Lindsey Albertelli led all scorers with 17 points as she added six boards. Natalie Smith chipped in 13 points with Cara Volpe and Emily Dorn each scoring eight points apiece. The Bombers shot 44.1% as a team and outrebounded Clarkson 43-30, which helped them score 12 second chance points.

Ithaca will look to secure the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Liberty League tournament, which would ensure a bye in the quarterfinals and a semifinal home game at Ben Light Gymnasium. First, the Bombers must take care of business with a Saturday road matchup at St. Lawrence (13-7, 9-5 LL). Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.