RADNOR TOWNSHIP, Pa. - The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team set the school record for single game rebounds with 87 on its way to a 98-84 victory over Gwynedd Mercy University in an ECAC Tournament Quarterfinals matchup at Cabrini University. The third-seeded Engineers improve to 18-10 and advance to play seventh-seeded Drew University on Saturday at 5:30pm. The Rangers beat second-seeded Misericordia University 74-65.
In addition to the RPI record, the rebound total marks the most by a Division III team in a game this year and the fourth all-time. Grove City University holds the mark with 96, which it set in 1984. Rensselaer's 87 is the most by any school since 1988.
Senior Celia Tomlinson led all players with 18 boards, while freshman Heather Converse pulled down 17. Sophomore guard Brielle Sharry had nine rebounds, Sam Krumbhaar and Becca Gregg had eight apiece. Ashlyn O'Neil was credited with seven rebounds and Tina Heer secured six. Rensselaer held an 87-42 advantage in total.
Tomlinson also had 29 points and five blocked shots and Krumbhaar scored 20 points with four steals. Converse had 10 points, O'Neil scored nine and Ines Ortea recorded 14 points in helping Rensselaer to a single game high for the season.
RPI broke out to 30-19 lead after the first quarter and then outscored the Griffins 23-21 in the second. The Engineers held a 22-15 ede in the third before being outscored by six points (29-23) in the fourth. They shot 44.4 percent from the floor and held the opposition to just 25.8 percent.
Gwynedd Mercy was led by Haley Crossley's 17 points and six rebounds. Denise Sacco scored 14 points with four boards.