ALBANY, NY – The Alfred University women's basketball team wrapped up their season with a 71-46 loss to #3 Russell Sage College during the first round of the Empire 8 Tournament.
 
The Saxons (15-10, 10-8 Empire 8) were led by Leah Harkenrider (Hornell, NY/Hornell), who finished the game with a team-high 15 points to go with four rebounds. Gillian Flint (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) added nine points and four boards for AU.

"Credit to Russell Sage tonight," Head Coach Mike Moskowitz said. "They played well this evening and I'm excited to see how the rest of the tournament plays out. I'm so proud of the fight our ladies showed tonight and really all year. Four months ago, we officially started on an adventure together to be the best we can be. I know we got better throughout the year and definitely grew closer through the ups and downs we faced. This group has been a ton of fun and I'm forever thankful for all that they've done for me personally, but more importantly, this program. They've set the bar for our program and have proudly worn that Alfred University women's basketball name across their chests every single day. I love them all and am excited to continue to be invested in their futures on and off the court for years to come. They make me proud every single day."
 
Alfred University relied on the 3-point shot in the opening stages of the first quarter, as successful shots from Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) and Flint gave the Saxons the early lead. Later in the quarter, a shot from beyond the arc from Rebecca Jewett (Nyack, NY/Nyack) had AU leading by as many as six points. The Gators began to find shots of their own before taking a 15-14 lead going into the second quarter. An 11-0 run by Russell Sage in the second quarter was snapped by a jump shot from Flint. The Gators continued to find shots, holding a 34-19 advantage entering halftime.
 
Flint opened scoring for the Saxons in the second half with a 3-point shot. Five different members of Alfred University scored in the third quarter, but the team still trailed 51-36 with one quarter remaining. Russell Sage managed to hit their shots throughout the fourth quarter to maintain their lead and secure the win.
 
This season was a historic one for the Saxons. Under Coach Moskowitz, the women's basketball program was able to secure a program-best 10 conference wins. Alfred University won each of their final five games of the regular season by double-digit points to earn a postseason berth as the #6 seed. On the court, the Saxons finished 9^th in the nation in Division III in turnovers per game and 17^th in three-pointers per game.