GENEVA, N.Y.—Top seeded Roberts Wesleyan College defeated William Smith College 81-68 in the first round of the 32nd annual Wendy's College Classic in Bristol Gym tonight. The Redhawks had four players in double figures led by Brooke Fields' game-high 22 points.
 
Fields accounted for half of RWC's 12 3-pointers and was 7-of-17 shooting from the floor. Samantha Courtney added 10 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, five assists, and three blocked shots. Necedah James added 13 points and a team-high six assists while Lucy Covley chipped in 15 points, all from behind the 3-point arc. The Redhawks made 12 3-pointers in the game and made more free throws (11) than the Herons attempted (10).
 
William Smith junior Melanie Patterson made a bid for a triple double, finishing with a team-high 19 points, a team-high nine rebounds, and a game-high seven assists. Junior Courtney Chase contributed 11 points off the bench.
 
In the first quarter, William Smith was down by three after first-year Olivia Hughes (5 pts, 4 assts) hit a 3-pointer, but Roberts Wesleyan used a 9-2 run to build a 10-point lead. Fields fueled the run with seven points, including a pair of triples.
 
In the second quarter, the Herons trailed by just seven after Gabrielle Eure (8 pts, 7 rebs) made a layup midway through the frame, but the Redhawks responded with the game's next seven points to build their largest lead of the half, 42-28. Chase and first-year Mia Morrison (9 pts, 5 rebs) pulled the home team back within seven with less than a minute remaining. Chase started the run by converting two at the free throw line. Morrison drew a charge and then scored on a jumper to make it 42-32. RWC missed a 3-point try and Chase made one to make it a 42-35 game, but Lucy Covley hit a late 3 to send Roberts Wesleyan into the break with a 45-35 lead.
 
Patterson led all scorers at halftime with 15 points, including three 3-pointers. She also has a team-high six rebounds and shared game-high honors with four assists. Fields paced the visitors with 13 points. Courtney collected 11 first half boards.
 
The Herons cut the Redhawks lead to 11 early in the third quarter, but got no closer. A 13-2 Roberts Wesleyan run over the next three minutes gave the Redhawks a 61-39 lead.
 
William Smith played hard through the final stanza, outscoring Roberts Wesleyan 22-14 in the fourth quarter.
 
The Redhawks (6-0) advance to the semifinals on Thursday, Dec. 3, at the University of Rochester where they will face No. 4 St. John Fisher at 6 p.m. The Herons (1-4) will take on Brockport in the consolation semifinals at Roberts Wesleyan on Thursday at 8 p.m.