ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - Before the season started, questions were raised about Bard College's ability to compete, day-in, day-out, in the Liberty League.

Some of the questions were answered earlier this month, when Bard won its Liberty League opener at Vassar. But the questions resumed when Bard lost its next six Liberty League games in a row by an average of 25-plus points.

After battling and losing to Clarkson on Saturday, Bard once again played tough against a solid Liberty League foe on Sunday, losing to St. Lawrence University, 70-57.

Box score

Bard got down, 21-9, in the first half on Saturday, and it looked like the absence of freshman Siondueh Burnette (toe injury) was really going to be too much to overcome. But the Raptors scrapped their way back and trailed, 32-25, at the half.

The Saints (10-8 overall, 6-4 Liberty League) immediately pushed the lead back up to 11 in the second half, but Bard came back. A steal and three-pointer by freshman Francis Arnold cut St. Lawrence's lead to 40-35 with 14:21 left in the game.

St. Lawrence responded, however. A 9-0 run pushed the deficit to 14, and the Raptors (3-13, 1-7) got no closer than 11 the rest of the way. St. Lawrence shot 66 percent from the field in the second half, and in spite of the best efforts of Bard senior Matt Shubert, who scored 19 of his team-high 21 points in the second half, Bard came up short again.

The Saints, who outrebounded Bard, 43-17, got 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists from senior Ralph Temgoua (Paris, France), 13 points from senior Terry Parham (Petersburg, VA), and 11 each from junior Kyle Miller (Central Square, NY) and freshman Brady Condlin (Massena, NY.)

Aside from Shubert's 21, Bard got 14 points, four rebounds and three assists from Arnold, and 13 points and three rebounds from freshman Jose Canario.

Next up for Bard is a trip to RPI on Tuesday night. Game time is 8 p.m.