WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Williams College women's basketball team earned a hard-fought 67–63 overtime victory over Tufts University on Friday night at Chandler Athletic Center in NESCAC play.
With the win, the Ephs improved to 8–7 overall and 2–1 in conference action, while the Jumbos fell to 7–8 and 0–3 in the conference.
Williams and Tufts battled through a competitive four quarters before the Ephs pulled away in overtime to secure the home victory. The teams traded momentum throughout the night, with nine lead changes in the contest.
Williams led 32–20 at halftime and held a narrow advantage through much of the second half before Tufts outscored the Ephs 13–10 in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Kathleen Smith led the Ephs with a career-high 27 points, shooting 11-for-19 from the field and 5-for-6 at the free-throw line. Smith also added eight rebounds and one assist. Micah Walton contributed 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
On the glass, Tatum Leuenberger finished with eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds, anchoring Williams' effort on the boards. Sarah Pettegrove added seven points and dished out seven assists, while Logan Coster chipped in six points in key moments to help sustain the Ephs' offensive rhythm.
Williams' bench played a significant role in the win, providing 25 points as the Ephs worked to maintain momentum throughout.
As a team, Williams shot 40.6% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range, while going 8-for-13 from the free-throw line.
Defensively, the Ephs totaled 47 rebounds, outrebounded Tufts by 10, and forced 19 turnovers that were converted into 19 points.
For Tufts, Tessa Lozner paced the Jumbos with 24 points, and Abby Congdon added 19 in a balanced attack. Despite strong individual efforts and a close game, Tufts was unable to hold off Williams in the final moments.
Williams will look to build on the win as it continues NESCAC play tomorrow against Connecticut College at 3:00 p.m.
