GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith senior Chloe Hayter scored a game-high 18 points and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, but Skidmore College rode an early flurry of 3-pointers to a 73-60 Liberty League victory in Bristol Gym tonight.
 
Hayter moved up three more places to No. 9 on the Herons' all-time scoring list, passing Leah Cornwell '02 (1,192), Amy Vandervort '89 (1,193) and Wendi Schoff '98 (1,195). Tonight was Hayter's 10th double-double of the season. She was joined in double figures by sophomore Gabrielle Eure who finished the night with 13 points and nine boards. Sophomore Courtney Chase chipped in nine points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Melanie Patterson and senior Ali Pliszka each handed out six assists.
 
Senior Lindsey Davis led the visitors with 17 points, making five 3-pointers. Senior Angela Botiba moved closer to on her journey to 1,000 points with 11 tonight, just three away from that major career milestone. Molly McLaughlin added 10 points and five assists. Kelly Donnelly collected a team-high eight rebounds.
 
Skidmore opened the game on a tear from behind the 3-point arc, making 8-of-12 from long range in the first 20 minutes. Lindsey Davis started and finished a 10-0 Skidmore run with 3-pointers, staking the visitors to a 15-4 lead less than six minutes into the game. The shots continued to fall for the Thoroughbreds, who took a 43-28 lead into halftime thanks to a 59 percent shooting effort.
 
Davis, who was 4-of-5 from deep in the first half, led all scorers at the intermission with 12 points.
 
William Smith played much better defensively in the second half, limiting Skidmore to 30 percent shooting. The Herons used a 15-6 run midway through the frame to trim the Thoroughbreds' lead to 59-53 after a layup by Eure. Neither team recorded a point over the next three minutes, leaving the door open to a comeback. But Botiba converted a traditional 3-point play at the 5:10 mark to snap her team out of its scoring draught and Skidmore was able to keep William Smith at arm's length the rest of the way.
 
The Thoroughbreds shot 46 percent for the game, 56 percent from 3-point range, and 68 percent at the free throw line. The Herons shot 36 percent from the floor, 25 percent from behind the arc, and 88 percent at the line. William Smith held a 37-32 edge on the glass, but committed five more turnovers than its guest.
 
William Smith (3-16, 2-9) will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 7, when the Herons host Rensselaer (11-9, 7-4) at 2 p.m. William Smith will also celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day beginning at 11 a.m. at the Bristol Field House.
 
Skidmore (13-6, 9-1) is back on the court on Saturday as well, visiting RIT (9-11, 3-8) at 2 p.m.