The RPI women’s basketball team enjoyed success before Thanksgiving break, winning four games over a one week span before falling to the Williams College Ephs yesterday to move to 5-2 on the season.
The Red Hawks’ first win of the week came November 19 against the Albany College of Pharmacy. Five Red Hawks scored 10 points or more in the game, as the women persistently outscored the Panthers in both halves to win 83-63, garnering the team’s second victory of the season The Panthers entered the contest undefeated at 3-0. By beating an undefeated team, the Red Hawks not only earned a critical win, improving to 2-1 on the season, but also generated large expectations for future victories.
After the big win over the Panthers, the women had a few days off to prepare for the journey to Boston, Mass., for the Emmanuel College Tip-off Tournament. The first game of the tournament for RPI was Saturday, November 22 against the Salve Regina University Seahawks. With a relentless offensive attack, the Red Hawks won their third game of the season, 80-56. Unlike Tuesday, only three Red Hawks scored double digits. Senior Whitney Coleman scored a game-high 18 points to help RPI improve to 3-1 on the season, while the Seahawks dropped their second game of the year to fall to 1-2.
Electrified by the victory, the women faced off the next day against the tournament host, the Emmanuel College Saints. RPI controlled the first frame, taking an early 17-6 lead, while the defense held the Saints to an astonishing 23.3 percent shooting in the first half, leaving the Saints with only 16 points at the halftime break. The game slowed down as RPI maintained its lead throughout the rest of the game. Coleman netted 18 points for the second consecutive day, and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead her team to a 57-46 win, improving the Red Hawks’ record to 4-1 on the season. The previously undefeated Saints fell to 2-1.
After the two wins on the weekend, the Red Hawks played the Wheaton College Lyons—who were 3-1 on the season—Tuesday, November 25. Unlike the previous games, RPI found itself down early when Wheaton jumped out to an early lead with 14:26 to play in the first half. However, the Lyons’ lead was quickly cut when the RPI girls went on a 12-0 run to take their first lead of the game six minutes later. As the game continued, RPI continued to compound its lead with numerous jump shots from Coleman, who posted a game-high 17 points. When time expired, RPI led 77-58, taking its fifth game in a row and improving to 5-1 on the season, while the Lyons dropped to 3-2.
Coleman was announced the Liberty League’s Guard of the Week for the week ending November 23, while freshman guard Sarah Coleman earned Rookie of the Week honors for the current term. Despite those successes, the Red Hawks could not stand against Williams, as they fell on the road yesterday, 77-58. Coleman netted a game-high 19 points, while senior teammate Elizabeth Barker added 12 of her own, along with 14 rebounds. Fellow senior Ellen High scored 13 points in the effort. The Red Hawks fell to 5-2 on the year with the loss.
Now, with five victories in its last six games, RPI will return to the court at home on Thursday against Mount Holyoke College in the Armory.
