Douglas’s Career Day Powers Women’s Hoops Past Bard

By Amie Canfield

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON – Powered by a career-high 29 points, including nine three-pointers, from senior captain Dani Douglas, the Vassar women’s basketball team defeated Bard College by an 86-51 margin in Liberty League action at Stevenson Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. The Brewers move to 10-6 overall and 9-1 in league action, while the Raptors are now 1-11 and 0-7 in the Liberty League.

Douglas’s career night was highlighted by her nine three-pointers on 15 attempts (60.0%), which surpassed the all-time single game record in program history. It was a mark that Douglas tied on December 4, 2021 in a win against William Smith in which she drained eight three’s (on 11 attempts).

For the game, Douglas shot 10-of-17 (58.8%) from the floor, adding a rebound, two assists and two steals over 25 minutes played. The Brewers also got a career-high 17 points from junior Alex Lee, who went 3-of-5 (60.0%) from three-point range and completed the double-double with a game-best 10 rebounds while also adding four assists and two steals.

Senior captain Sarah Gillooly added nine points, four rebounds, five assists and a steal, while junior captain Eliza Srinivasan boasted a game-best nine assists to go along with five boards, six points and a steal.

Additionally, the Brewers drained 19 three-pointers on the day, tying the single game program record for three’s made. It’s a mark the squad also set against William Smith in December.

For Bard, senior Christina Kiser recorded a game-high 31 points, finishing with eight rebounds, two assists and three steals. Senior Olivia Couture added 10 points with eight boards, two assists and a steal, while rookie Maggie Peyton dropped in a game-best 10 rebounds.

Following a free throw make by Bard’s Thalia Grandinetti in the opening quarter, Douglas pushed the lead to 10, draining her second three of the game at 4:56 for the 13-3 advantage. Bard saw consecutive buckets from Kiser, but her shots were sandwiched between three-pointers from rookie Julia Harvey and two from Douglas to move the lead to 22-7 at 2:22.

With the Brewers holding a 29-11 edge, the Raptors inched back in during the second quarter as Mae Redmond sank a layup at 7:54 for the 16-point deficit. Back-and-forth basketball ensued over the next minute as both teams struggled to get the ball in, but it was Bard’s Olivia Couture with an outside three, moving the score to 29-16 at 6:30.

A beautiful feed from Douglas to Gillooly in transition got the Brewers back on track and back-to-back three-pointers from Douglas – her fifth and sixth of the half – extended the Vassar lead to 39-18 with 2:49 to play. Kiser drained a three and added a layup on her next possession to cut the Bard deficit to 15 with 1:09 remaining, but the Brewers saw junior Ashley Hansen convert a free throw as teams headed into the intermission with Vassar up, 40-24.

Third quarter action saw the Brewers go on a 10-0 run, which included two layups and two three-pointers, as well as the seventh trey of the contest by Douglas for a 52-27 edge at 5:21. A pair of free throw makes by Kiser finally broke the Vassar stretch, but back-to-back three’s from Douglas opened the lead to 58-31 at 4:33.

Vassar continued to dominate over the final three minutes of the frame, powered by several solid shots and the first collegiate career points – a three-pointer – for rookie Ashley Mostrom, to take a 70-37 lead into the final quarter.

Fourth quarter action saw the Brewers continue to dominate, aided early in the frame by a three from rookie Tash Thompson as VC extended the lead to 76-40. Bard answered on the other end behind another three from Kiser to pull back to 76-46, but the visitors continued to answer on the other end and hold for the solid victory.

Next up for the Brewers is a trip to the North Country as Vassar travels to St. Lawrence and Clarkson on Friday (5:30pm) and Saturday (2pm), respectively.