Box Score ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University women's basketball team narrowly came up short to Russell Sage College, 79-75, in overtime on Friday.

Grace Rittenhouse (Dansville, NY/Dansville) led the way with a season-high 25 points and is now 11 points away from 1,000 career points. Jaidyn Chest (Mayfield, NY/Mayfield) registered 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

"Credit to Sage for playing with consistently great energy throughout," head coach Mike Moskowitz said. "We unfortunately didn't have enough energy and urgency throughout most of the game and it cost us. We'll have to be ready for a scrappy Hartwick team tomorrow."

The Saxons (11-8, 5-5 Empire 8) were tied at seven-all halfway through the first quarter. Felicia Stewart (Ann Arbor, MI/Pioneer) hit two free throws that ignited a 10-0 run for a 17-7 advantage.

The Gators (6-12, 5-5 Empire 8) responded with 10 points that stretched into the second quarter to tie the game at 17-all.  Chest, Rittenhouse and Jayda L. Felker (Corning, NY/Corning-Painted Post) combined for Alfred University's 15 quarter points which resulted in a 32-27 halftime lead.

Russell Sage College came within in one at the start of the third, but Rittenhouse scored nine of her 14 quarter points from the three-point line to keep the Saxons up. Stewart's layup and Libby Benner's (Nunda, NY/Keshequa) triple gave Alfred University its largest lead of 11 points with 1:23 left, 53-42.

The Gators' notched eight unanswered points to come back within single digits at the start of the fourth quarter. The Saxons extended their advantage by seven on a three-point shot from Rittenhouse and a layup by Felker, 61-54.

Russell Sage College outscored Alfred University, 11-4, to tie the game again at 65-all with 1:39 left. Both teams struggled to find the winning shot during the rest of regulation, leading into overtime.

After the Gators scored the first bucket of overtime, Chest tossed in eight points to bring the Saxons within two, 75-73. Russell Sage College was up by four with six seconds left. Alfred University could not complete the comeback as Jessica Beehler (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) and Rittenhouse each missed a three-point shot and the Gators pulled away with the win.

Both teams made 28 shots from the field. The Saxons shot 9-of-30 (.300) from the three-point line and 10-of-15 (.667) at the free-throw line. Russell Sage College was 8-of-27 (.296) from behind the arc and 15-of-22 (.682) at the charity stripe.

The Saxons scored 23 points off 21 Gator turnovers and 17 on 14 offensive rebounds.

Alfred University remains at home where it looks to rebound against Hartwick College on Saturday at 2:00 PM.