The Skidmore College women's basketball team was held off by Trinity College, 65-62, Saturday evening in the second game of the 38th Skidmore Invitational Tournament at the Williamson Sports Center.
The Thoroughbreds go to 0-1, while the Bantams move to 1-0.
Skidmore Freshman guard Kelly Donnelly posted a double-double, leading all scorers with 21 points and pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds. Angela Botiba added 12 points and nine boards and Amber Holgate chipped in with seven points and six rebounds off the bench.
The Thoroughbreds got out to a 10-2 lead to start the game, as Botiba and Donnelly rattled off four points each and Allie Keller added a layup. Trinity managed to pull within five just over six minutes into the half as Mackenzie Griffin converted on a layup and the ensuing free throw. Skidmore responded quickly, stringing together an 11-5 run and taking a 23-12 lead on a Donnelly jumper.
The Bantams continued to chip away at the lead and came back within two with a 12-3 run capped by a Melanie Mills layup, but the Thoroughbreds scored the final four points of the half to take a 30-24 lead into the break.
Molly McLaughlin hit a jumper to extend the Skidmore to eight, but Trinity put together a 10-4 run, tying the game at 38-38 on a Taylor Higgins 3-pointer. Skidmore responded with a 7-2 run with baskets from Migle Vilunaite and Holgate, but the Bantams hung tough, eventually taking a 56-52 lead with 6:18 to play after a pair of Mills free throws and three points from Higgins.
Holgate and Botiba provided a response for Skidmore, combining from 10-straight points to give Skidmore a 62-56 lead with 1:37 remaining. Sheena Landy's layup brought Trinity back within four with a layup and Kaitlin Lewis drilled a 3-pointer on the Bantams next possession to make it a one-point game. Bianca Brenz made two free throws pulling down a defensive rebound and made two more with 14 seconds remaining to put Trinity ahead 65-62. The Thoroughbreds had one last possession, but they could not find the shot they needed.
Higgins had a team-high 16 points for the Bantams to go along with five rebounds. Griffin had 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds and Christina Raiti had 10 points and five boards.
Skidmore shot 25-of-67 from the field and 2-of-8 from 3-point range, while Trinity was 23-of-60 from the floor and 5-of-14 from three.
The Thoroughbreds host the US Coast Guard Academy at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16.