Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. - A career-high 16 points from Alexis Kress helped the Clarkson University Women's Basketball team earn their first Liberty League win of the year at Bard College in a 54-45 final, Saturday afternoon. 

The Knights improve to 5-7 overall, 1-4 in conference play and will return to action Friday, January 16th, as they host the Herons of William Smith at Alumni Gymnasium. Bard falls to 3-9 overall, 1-5 in league action. 

Clarkson would get out to an early 7-1 lead before the first media timeout of the contest as both teams struggled to find their shooting touch early with Bard going 0-7 from the field to start proceedings. Erin Tobes would finally capitalize on a breakaway layup for the Raptors at the 3:46 mark to register the first field goal for the hosts. Elizabeth Aiossa would break a five minute scoreless streak for Clarkson to answer another Tobes layup with 1:36 remaining before knocking down two free throws 30 seconds later that would account for the final scoring of the quarter as the Knights would lead 11-5. 

Less than 10 seconds into the second quarter, Bella Doyle would knock down a straightaway three off a feed from Addie Kea as Clarkson would look to generate a quick start to build on the advantage. Momentum would stay in favor of the Knights in the form of a 7-3 run over five minutes with buckets from Kea, Alexis Kress and Emma Chambers, pushing the lead to as much as 13 (21-8) as halftime approached. Bard managed to fashion a brief 4-0 run that would cut the deficit back to single-digits but a pair of free throws from Maddy Polky followed by a lay-in from Kea reestablished the 13-point advantage. The Raptors would then finish the half on a 5-0 run in the final minute as Ava Gregory would knock down a long-range attempt to make it 25-17 in favor of Clarkson at the break. 

Consistent offensive stretches were hard to come by for both teams in the first half as Clarkson would finish shooting 35% from the field compared to a 20% mark produced by Bard. The Knights struggled to take care of the ball, turning it over 10 times, but received a boost from scoring in the paint with 14 points to Bard's six. 

Doyle would again knock down a quick three to open the second half but a 9-0 run from the Raptors over the next three minutes, capped off by a Shirley Dong three, saw the hosts get back to within just two, 28-26, with 5:40 remaining. Even with the pressure Clarkson would continue to keep Bard at arm's reach going 5-5 at the free throw line to make it 35-28 before a three by Jessica Martin with under a minute left in the third cut it back to four. Doyle would close out the quarter going one of two at the charity stripe as Clarkson would lead 36-31 headed into the final 10. 

Both teams would combine for four points over the first three minutes of the fourth until Lexi Miller connected on a turnaround jumper in the lane to get Bard back to within three. That deficit would then be cut to just one just over two minutes later as Dong would cash in on two free throws, applying pressure on Clarkson with just five minutes remaining in the contest. The Raptors would again begin to ask questions of the Knights late on as Dong produced a 5-0 run to make it 46-45, capping it off with an old-fashioned three-point play. Down the other end Fallon Griffin would connect on a timely corner three off a pass from Kress to give Clarkson a two-possession lead with less than a minute on the clock. The hosts would then be forced to foul following a travel that gave the ball back to the Golden Knights providing Griffin and Kress the opportunity to put the game away as both would connect on free throws for the 54-45 final. 

Clarkson would finish shooting 31% from the field and 27% from three while Bard would post marks of 26% from the field and 18% from long range. The Knights managed to somewhat limit turnovers in the second half closing out with 17 with 14 points off turnovers created. Both teams were locked at 18 points in the paint but Bard held a significant 20-6 advantage in bench points. 

Kress grabbed five rebounds with a 9-11 line at the charity stripe, Griffin added 11 points overall while Doyle scored, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out a game-best four assists. Dong registered 17 for the Raptor, Tobes added eight points and 10 boards.