The William Smith basketball team dropped a Liberty League contest to Skidmore, 65-49, on Friday afternoon at Bristol Gymnasium.
Three Herons reached double figures in scoring, led by sophomore Jojo Sulmasy, who posted a season-high 14 points while going 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. Junior Amelia McCulley added 12 points along with three blocks, three rebounds and two steals, while senior McKenzie Mandyck finished with 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc to go with three rebounds and three assists.
Skidmore controlled the game early by applying full-court pressure from the opening tip. William Smith struggled to handle the press, committing 10 turnovers in the first quarter, as the Thoroughbreds built a 17-9 lead after 10 minutes. Skidmore maintained momentum in the second quarter, using another late scoring run to take a 32-17 advantage into halftime.
The Herons settled in after the break and showed improved composure against the pressure, with McCulley and Sulmasy leading the offense during a third-quarter push. However, a timely 3-pointer by Skidmore halted the comeback attempt and helped the Thoroughbreds carry a 20-point lead into the final period.
William Smith continued to compete in the fourth quarter, outscoring Skidmore 18-14, but could not overcome the early deficit. Skidmore finished with a 48-36 rebounding advantage and forced 25 turnovers.
Madison Meyer led Skidmore with 16 points, while Claudia Schneider added 10 as the Thoroughbreds earned their first conference win.
William Smith returns to action on Saturday when it hosts RIT in Liberty League play, with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].