Though the women’s basketball team led the Blue Knights of Mount Saint Mary College at the half, the Red Hawks lost Wednesday’s NCAA first-round playoff game 66-54.

RPI controlled the first half of the game. The Red Hawks got the lead and kept it from five minutes into the game until the end of the half, which ended with a score of 33-24. The Rensselaer team played a solid half, and MSMC didn’t seem to have it together.

The second half was much different. Even though RPI held the lead until nearly halfway through, the entire half belonged to the Knights.

Mount Saint Mary stole the game when they forced a turnover at the very beginning of the half and made it count for 2 points. This key play killed the Red Hawks’ momentum and boosted the Knights’ confidence.

"We really didn’t do that good of a job in the first half," said Mount Saint Mary Head Coach Randy Ognibene. The game turned around, though, when "that first turnover (in the second half) just energized us."

Kimberley Rybczyk, head coach of the Red Hawks, agreed. "We always talk about the first five minutes of the second half as being key," she said, and those five minutes belonged to the Blue Knights.

MSMC really turned their game around in the second half. They went from hitting about a third of their field goals and 25 percent of their 3-pointers to around half for both categories.

At the same time, the Red Hawks were held to the same number of 3-pointers in the second half as in the first, and their field goal and free throw percentages were cut nearly in half, from 36 and 64 percent to 22 and 33 percent.

In all, the Blue Knights outscored Rensselaer 42-21 in the second half.

Both offensive and defensive factors contributed to the loss, said Rybczyk. "Our defense wasn’t where we needed it to be," she said, while the offense had trouble generating opportunities, and was unable capitalize on them when they got the chance.

She also gave the Knights credit for their play. "Mount Saint Mary’s played a heck of a game," said Rybczyk. "They seemed pretty well balanced tonight."

Wednesday’s win sent the Knights to New York University last Saturday.

"I’d like to bottle the second half and produce it again Saturday," Ognibene said after the RPI game.

Mount Saint Mary’s momentum did not continue into New York City, however. The Violets crushed the Blue Knights 89-47.

Wednesday marked the end of a stellar season for the Red Hawks, who racked up a 23-5 record and the UCAA championship.

"It’s great to go out like this," said Senior Co-Captain Kate Schulten. "To end a season that way is like a dream come true."

"I wouldn’t trade this season for any one in the world," said Rybczyk.