POTSDAM, N.Y.—The William Smith College basketball team dominated the first quarter of its Liberty League showdown at Clarkson University this afternoon, but the Golden Knights kept their poise and rallied for an 84-70 victory in Alumni Gymnasium.
 
The Herons got off to a fast start, scoring the game's first 15 points. Kendra Quinn-Moultrie had 9 points in the first six minutes. She finished the day with a career-high matching 14 points and two steals.
 
After missing its first eight shots, Clarkson finally got on the board thanks to an Ashely Loggins layup at the 3:45 mark of the first quarter. William Smith responded with consecutive 3-pointers by Melanie Patterson and Sarah Brophy for a 19-point lead. The Knights ended the frame on a 6-2 run to make it a 23-8 game entering the second quarter. Patterson logged 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals on the day while Brophy added six points and two steals.
 
The Herons were 9-of-12 from the floor in the first 10 minutes, going 3-of-6 from behind the arc, while holding Clarkson to 3-of-15 shooting.
 
William Smith cooled off a bit in the second quarter, making 6-of-11 from the floor, but the Knights caught fire, knocking down 10-of-16, whittling the Heron lead down to 39-36 at the half.
 
Clarkson () stayed hot in the third quarter, scoring the first eight points for a 44-39 lead. William Smith stayed close throughout the frame, reclaiming the lead, 55-54, on a Patterson layup with 3:30 remaining. The Knights countered with a 12-2 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters. Devin Sorell capped the swell with a 3-pointer. The Herons trailed by at least 7 the rest of the way with the Knights sealing the victory with a 9-of-10 effort at the free throw line in the final two minutes of the game.
 
Sorell made four 3-pointers in the contest and logged 24 points, one off Loggins' game-high 25. The latter also helped CU to a 37-30 rebounding edge collecting a game-high 12 caroms. The Knights were 22-of-24 at the free throw line while the Herons got just 16 trips to the line, making 11. Clarkson forced 18 William Smith turnovers while committing just nine. That led to a 21-12 advantage for the home team in points off turnovers.
 
Mia Morrison led William Smith with 19 points and seven rebounds. The Herons shot a season-high 48 percent from the floor and a season-high 43 percent from 3-point range.
 
The Herons (4-8, 2-2) will be back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 19, when they host RIT at 6 p.m.