HENRIETTA, N.Y.—The William Smith College basketball team's postseason hopes took a hit tonight after suffering a 68-54 Liberty League loss at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Coupled with St. Lawrence's 59-56 win over Clarkson, the Herons are now one game out of the fourth and final playoff spot with one game remaining in the regular season.
 
The Tigers charged out of the gate, building an 18-6 lead just over six minutes into the game. First-year Tara Lynch led the way 8 of her game-high 18 points during the opening surge. RIT led 24-15 through the end of the first quarter.
 
William Smith, which was playing without injured starer Mia Morrison (12.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg), opened the second quarter on a 17-7 run, fueled by a 7-point effort from junior Courtney Chase, to take a 32-31 lead. The Tigers struck back with 6 of the final 8 points of the half to carry a 37-34 lead into halftime.
 
Chase and Lynch shared game-high honors with 12 points apiece at the break.
 
The Herons seized the lead one more time, starting the third quarter on a 6-2 run for a 40-39 advantage, but RIT took the lead for good with a 13-2 run that put the visitors in a 52-42 hole. Sophomore Jessica Glaz netted 6 of her 11 points during the pivotal run.
 
William Smith scored 4 consecutive points early in the fourth quarter to cut the Tigers' lead to 55-49, but RIT dashed any hopes of a comeback with three straight field goals.
 
The Herons struggled to find their shooting rhythm, connecting on just 28 percent of their shots from the floor, their second worst showing of the season. William Smith was just 5-of-27 from long range, but did make 9-of-11 at the free throw line.
 
The Tigers shot 43 percent from the floor, 25 percent from deep, and made 12-of-16 at the line.
 
The Herons controlled the glass, outrebounding RIT 51-40. Junior Melanie Patterson had 13 points, a team-high eight rebounds, and five assists for William Smith. Junior Gabrielle Eure had 10 points and also grabbed eight boards for the Herons. Sophomore Amanda Olson grabbed a game-high 11 caroms for RIT.
 
William Smith will conclude the regular season at home on Friday, Feb. 19, when the Herons host Union (15-7, 9-5) in Bristol Gym. If the Herons are to earn a spot in the Liberty League Tournament, they will need to beat Union and fall on the right side of the league's tiebreak procedures. There is the potential for up to four teams to tie for the final two spots in the tournament.