Vassar Brewers Pull Away For Road Victory at RIT

ROCHESTER – Julia Harvey led four players in double-figures with 18 points and Tova Gelb (Sharon, MA) recorded a double-double as the Vassar College Women’s Basketball team scored a 71-52 victory, its 13th consecutive triumph.

Saturday’s win pushes Vassar to 14-1 overall and 8-0 in Liberty League play while the Tigers fall to 5-9 overall and 4-3 against conference rivals. The victory also marks the Brewers seventh straight win over RIT.

First Half
A back-and-forth start saw Vassar hold a lead as large as three points twice over the opening two-and-a-half minutes.

RIT would grab a three-point lead on a Lila McGuiggan bucket with 5:43 left in the opening period.

Vassar moved back in front by a bucket twice in the final 3:20 of the first quarter, but RIT finished the frame on a 5-2 spurt to carry an 18-17 advantage into the second period.

Sierra McDermed canned a three-pointer to open the second quarter scoring and a 6-0 run capped by a Gelb three-point play pushed the Brewers in front 28-20 with 2:18 left before the break.

RIT countered with the next five points before a Gelb conversion in the final half minute sent Vassar into the intermission carrying a 30-25 lead.

Vassar finished the opening 20 minutes shooting 33.3-percent overall and went 2-for-11 from three-point range.

RIT converted at 30.8-percent in the first half and knocked in three of its eight three-point attempts.

Second Half
RIT used an Erin DiPaola bucket early in the third period to cut the Tigers’ disadvantage to 32-30.

Vassar came back with an 11-1 run to push its lead into double-figures for the first time and grab a 43-31 lead on a Gelb triple with 4:31 left in the third frame.

Once the Brewers grabbed a double-figure lead it remained at 10 points or better the remainder of the contest.

The Brewers held RIT without a point over the final two minutes of the quarter and used a pair of Harbey free-throws in the closing seconds of the third period to open a 53-36 lead.

RIT would not pull closer than 13 points in the fourth frame and Vassar pushed its lead to 61-40 on a Naiya Kurnik layup with 6:39 left to play.

Vassar pushed its lead to a game-high 23 points three times in the final stanza before claiming the final 19-point decision.

For The Brewers
Harvey led the team with 18 points on the strength of a perfect 10-for-10 effort from the free-throw line. Harvey added five rebounds and a pair of assists for the Brewers.

Gelb finished off a double-double with 17 points on 6-for-14 shooting while adding a game-high 11 rebounds. Gelb rounded out the win with two assists and a pair of steals.

Kurnik tallied 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting and collected four rebounds.

McDermed finished the win with 12 points, connecting on two of the team’s three-pointers, to go along with four rebounds.

Bella Tawney hauled in nine rebounds and led the team with three assists and a pair of blocked shots.

For The Tigers

Emma Waite led all players with 20 points, adding four rebounds and a pair of assists.

McGuiggan led the team with nine boards, adding nine points.

Faye Kaplinski chipped in six points and seven rebounds.