The Bard College women's basketball team couldn't muster a win over the Clarkson Golden Knights on Friday evening, 53-42.
In a game that was closer than the final scoreline indicated,
Jessica Martin stood out, scoring a team-high 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-11 from deep.
Lexi Miller recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds to go with two assists and a steal. Both Martin and Miller played all 40 minutes.
Aislynn Dixon tossed in six points, three rebounds, two steals, and two assists.
Erin Tobes dished out a team-high three assists, adding seven rebounds, five points, and a steal.
Shirley Dong contributed four points, four rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
Ava Gregory added two steals, four rebounds, and an assist.
Martin started her third game of the season, and she made the most of it in the first quarter, creating her own shot twice before the first media timeout to score four of Bard's seven points. Dixon was involved on both ends, tipping a pass on the defensive end, leading to a steal. She was rewarded on the other end, draining an open look from deep. With 1:18 to go in the frame, Miller hit her first career three on a pick-and-pop that ignited the team. Martin hit a triple on the next possession, causing the Raptors to take a 13-7 lead into the second quarter.
Both defenses showed off in the first five minutes of the second quarter, allowing just two points each. Tobes broke Bard's four-plus minute drought with a straight-line drive to the cup. With 2:03 remaining, Clarkson took the lead at 16-15. Less than a minute later, Martin was able to stop a 9-0 Golden Knight run with a left-wing three, giving her 10 points in the first half.
The Raptors tied it at 22 apiece early in the third quarter off of a Dong jumper. She got her defender jumping with a pump fake before hitting the shot. More defensive stops led to a low-scoring quarter where the teams were separated by two possessions at most. Dong threaded a pocket pass for Miller with 2:16 to go, making it 25-25. Yet another tie occurred at 28-28, when Martin answered a Clarkson three with one her own. Dixon sank a corner triple to make it 31-29, as Bard's chances of winning were growing.
Both teams executed on their first two offensive opportunities of the fourth quarter, and the lead shifted hands three times in just the first minute and a half. Bard had a 36-35 lead when an 11-0 Clarkson run allowed the home team to gain the edge at 46-36. From there, the Golden Knights were able to drain the clock and take down the Raptors.
Bard plays St. Lawrence in Canton, N.Y. tomorrow at 2 p.m.
