The William Smith basketball team saw a late rally come up short in a 66-57 Liberty League loss to Ithaca on Friday evening at Ben Light Gymnasium.
Junior guard Giana Lobozzo led the Herons with 14 points and nine rebounds, adding two blocks, a steal and an assist. Ava Lobozzo followed with 13 points and six rebounds, while Amelia McCulley contributed eight points, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Junior Dani Krenzer provided a spark off the bench with a career-high eight points and nine rebounds, along with three assists.
William Smith jumped out to an early 11-4 lead behind strong play from Giana Lobozzo, but Ithaca responded with an 11-0 run late in the first quarter to take a 15-11 advantage. The Herons controlled the glass in the second quarter and created second-chance opportunities, but Ithaca’s late perimeter shooting sent the Bombers into halftime with a 33-26 lead.
Ithaca extended its advantage in the third quarter, shooting efficiently from the field and beyond the arc to build an 18-point cushion. The Herons responded with their best stretch in the final quarter, outscoring Ithaca 18-9 while shooting 50 percent from the floor and limiting the Bombers to 17 percent. William Smith trimmed the deficit with timely baskets, including a key three-pointer late, but could not close the gap in the final minutes.
Ithaca was led by Tori Drevna’s game-high 23 points, while the Bombers capitalized on 29 William Smith turnovers despite being outrebounded 57-36.
William Smith returns to action on Friday, traveling to Potsdam, New York, to face Clarkson. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. at Alumni Gymnasium.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].