Box Score POTSDAM, N.Y. - The road to respectability is full of potholes, detours, flat tires, engine trouble, traffic and discourteous drivers.

It's no picnic.

Bard College joined the Liberty League last year, and the women's basketball team took some serious lumps. They lost all 16 Liberty League contests in the 2011-12 season by an average of 49.6 points.

On Friday night, it was all washed away. Bard defeated Clarkson University, 52-46, for its first Liberty League victory.

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"(Clarkson) embarrassed us here last year," Bard coach Sarah Lombard said, referring to a 96-25 defeat on Feb. 11, 2012. "I had a complete meltdown. I lost it and was ready to throw in the towel."

But Bard entered the game knowing that based on results against common opponents, it had a shot to beat Clarkson. The Raptors focused on trying to stop Clarkson's super freshman, Ashley Loggins (Colonie, NY), who was averaging 17 points and 11 rebounds per game.

"Our number one goal was to try to get them in foul trouble," Lombard said. "We had to neutralize her somehow. The effort came from everyone and it worked."

Loggins had 10 points and 11 rebounds when she picked up her third foul with 53 seconds left in the first half. Her fourth foul came 3:03 into the second half, and she sat down for 10 minutes before fouling out with 4:45 left in the game. She finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds in just 25 minutes.

Bard's super freshman, Tytravia Riley, finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds. She went 7-for-10 from the floor and 7-for-9 from the foul line. Fellow freshman Bianka Bell added 10 points, including three crucial three-pointers that kept the Golden Knights at bay.

Bard jumped out to a 9-2 lead, and although Clarkson tied the score three times in the first half, the Golden Knights never led. Bard extended a five-point lead to 10 in the second half, Clarkson cut it back to six a couple of times, but it never got closer. The Knights are 2-9, 0-2 in the Liberty League.

"The team is so excited," Lombard said. She mentioned Joanna Regan, a three-sport athlete at Bard who hadn't won a league game in any of the three until Friday night. "For Jo Regan, it was five seasons without a Liberty League win. For all the girls who just been walked all over, this was special."

Lombard was quick to mention the team's senior captain, Imani Jones.

"It's her senior year, and she's worked so hard every year ... to see it finally pay off for her is great," Lombard said. "She's the foundation for the future of this program. It proves to her that all of her hard work has paid off."

The celebrating won't last long, because the Raptors (7-6, 1-3) get back on the road to respectability on Saturday. They'll take on league powerhouse St. Lawrence at 2 p.m.

You can follow that game via Live Stats or Live Video right here.