KEUKA, N.Y. – Russell Sage College Women's Basketball won their first Empire 8 Conference game of the season on Tuesday afternoon, taking down the Wolves of Keuka in a 59-55 thriller.
The Gators (2-6/1-0 E8) trailed 37-33 at the end of the third quarter, before using a 26-18 advantage in the final period to pull out the four point victory, 17 of those points coming from guards Layla Acosta (Haines City, FL/Haines City) and Lauren Sanderson (Ravena, NY/Ravena-Coyemans-Selkirk).
Sanderson led all scorers with 18 points while going three-of-six from beyond the arc to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Acosta was also in double digits, going six for six from the free throw line in the fourth quarter on her way to a ten point performance.
Junior forward Emily Zeh (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) and senior guard Malena Gereau (Schroon Lake, NY/Schroon Lake Central) led the rebounding efforts for RSC in the victory. Zeh grabbed a Gator-high eleven boards while Gereau brought down ten of her own.
Keuka College (5-5, 0-1 E8), who was 4-0 at home up to this point in the season, was led by guard Mary Cotter who scored fifteen points.
"I'm proud of how the team responded at the end of the 3rd and throughout the 4th quarter," shared Head Coach Michael Branche after the victory. "It showed a lot of growth to weather their storm and get a conference win on the road."
Looking ahead, RSC begins a five game home stand as they host SUNY Geneseo on Friday.
Gator Bites: The season marks the first with Michael Branche as the Head Coach of RSC Women's Basketball…He had been an assistant women's basketball coach since July 2020…12 players, making up just shy of 94 percent of the team scoring return for the Gators…The dozen combine with five newcomers on this year's squad…Junior guard Layla Acosta (Haines City, FL/Haines City), and junior forward Aniyah Kelley (New Castle, DE/William Penn), and senior guard Lauren Sanderson (Ravena, NY/Ravena-Coyemans-Selkirk) headline the returning Gators…Senior guard Olivia Huneau (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes), Sanderson, and senior guard Malena Gereau (Schroon Lake, NY/Schroon Lake Central) were voted captains of the team.
