ALBANY, NY – A defensive battle for the Alfred University women's basketball team resulted in a 46-30 win over Russell Sage College on Saturday afternoon.

The Saxons (5-9, 1-5 Empire 8) outscored the Gators (4-11, 2-4 Empire 8) in each of the first three quarters as part of their win.

Grace Rittenhouse (Dansville, NY/Dansville) led Alfred University with a team-high 14 points to go with a career-high 12 rebounds. Felicia Stewart (Ann Arbor, MI/Pioneer) totaled 10 points and 5 boards. Jayda L. Felker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post) added 6 points for AU.

"I was really proud of our team for putting together a full 40 minutes of quality basketball with discipline and toughness," Head Coach Mike Moskowitz said. "We really locked down defensively and finished possessions late with quality rebounds. Offensively, we shared the ball well and took quality shots. I'm happy for them because they deserved every bit of this win. We are excited for another opportunity to improve together on Tuesday."

The defense for AU was strong throughout the first quarter, holding Russell Sage without a point across the first three minutes of action. The Gators took a brief one-point lead, but the Saxons responded with three-point shots from Rittenhouse and Stewart. A late shot from Jaidyn Chest (Mayfield, NY/Mayfield) had Alfred University leading 16-12 going into the second quarter. Rittenhouse opened the scoring for the Saxons to begin the second quarter with a deep shot. Rittenhouse finished the quarter with four more points before the team took a 27-18 lead into halftime.

The defense once again stood tall for Alfred University in the second half, holding Russell Sage scoreless for almost five minutes. A jump shot from Felker gave the Saxons their first double-digit advantage of the afternoon. Three-point shots from Chest and Samantha Fischer (Wappingers Falls, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) had AU leading by as many as 18 points. The Gators scored in the final seconds, but the Saxons were still ahead 39-23 with one quarter remaining. Both sides played strong on the defensive end throughout the fourth quarter, but Alfred University maintained their lead and held on for the win.

Alfred University will next travel to Villa Maria College on Tuesday at 8:00 PM.