By Noah Poll
The Bard College women’s basketball team faced a tough opponent on the road, falling to Johnson & Wales on Sunday.
Erin Tobes once again led the Raptors, scoring a career-high 18 points, grabbing four rebounds, and dishing out five assists. Jessica Martin added seven points and four rebounds off the bench, while hometown player Lexi Miller tallied 15 points and eight rebounds. Shirley Dong contributed two points, two rebounds, and one steal.
Bard went out to a 9-4 lead 3:33 into the game, including a handoff in the corner that resulted in an Aislynn Dixon three. Tobes also found Lexi Miller deep in the paint for a score through contact in this stretch. However, the Wildcats changed their defense by putting a press in every inbound possession by the Raptors. JWU finished the first quarter with 29 points, fueled by efficient scoring in the paint and at the free-throw line. The Wildcats capitalized on Bard’s turnovers and maintained a fast-paced offense to build a commanding lead. Bard cut the deficit to 13 points in the second quarter after holding their opponent scoreless during a 5:10 drought, but the Wildcats responded with a 10-0 run to regain momentum heading into halftime.
In the second half, the Wildcats continued to hit their shots, shooting 45.5% from beyond the arc in the third quarter and extending their lead to 50 points late in the fourth. Bard showed grit throughout the game, with stretches of good defense and rebounding, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Wildcats’ balanced attack.
Bard will look to bounce back when they start Liberty League action at RIT on Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m.
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