Vassar Brewers Basketball Ground Raptors, 73-35

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON – The Vassar College Women’s Basketball team improved its winning streak to 15 games on Saturday afternoon, cruising past Bard by a score of 73-35. Naiya Kurnik led the scoring attack for the Brewers with 15 points.

Vassar improves to 16-1 overall on the season and to 10-0 in Liberty League play, while Bard drops to 4-12 overall and 0-10 in conference competition. Saturday’s win also marks the 28th straight victory over the Raptors since the start of the 1995-96 season.

First Half
After trailing briefly 1-0 in the opening moments on Saturday, Vassar scored 12 straight points, highlighted by a triple from Sam Lederman and a pair of treys from Sierra McDermed, to surge in front 12-1.

Two Caroline Siekman free-throws pushed the Brewers in front 19-4 with 2:33 left in the first quarter before Vassar finished the opening 10 minutes with a 19-9 lead.

Vassar shot just 27.8-percent from the field in the first period, but went 3-for-6 from behind the arc and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line.

Bard closed its disadvantage to 19-11 early in the second period, before a 10-2 stretch from the Brewers, capped by a McDermed jumper, pushed Vassar in front 29-13.

The Vassar advantage grew to 35-15 on a Maddie Ahearn four-point play late in the second period.

Tash Thompson sent the Brewers into the intermission leading 42-15 with a layup with 16 seconds left in the frame.

Vassar shot an even 45-percent from the field in the second stanza and finished the first half converting at 36.8-percent.

The Brewers knocked down five three-pointers over the first two quarters and went 9-for-10 from the free-throw line.

Bard was held to 24-percent shooting in the first half and went 0-for-6 from behind the arc and 3-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Second Half
A Kurnik three-pointer opened the third quarter scoring and pushed the Brewers in front 45-15.

The third quarter lead surged to 38 points three times, including on a Siekman layup with 1:09 left in the frame.

Vassar would not allow Bard to get closer than 29 points in the fourth period and matched the game-high lead of 38 points twice in the frame.

Siekman pushed the Brewers in front 60-22 with a conversion in the first half minute of the fourth quarter.

Ava Gurley closed out the scoring in the game with 21 seconds left, converting a layup to give Vassar the final 73-35 decision.

Vassar shot 32.4-percent after halftime, but connected on six more three-pointers.

Bard converted at 28-percent in the second half and went 1-for-6 from behind the arc.

For The Brewers
Vassar saw 14 different players find the scoring column in the victory.

Kurnik matched the game-high with 15 points, going 4-for-7 from the field, with a pair of triples, and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. Kurnik added two rebounds, an assist and a block.

McDermed contributed 13 points, going an efficient 5-for-6 from the floor and 3-for-4 from three-point range.

Siekman led the team with nine rebounds and chipped in eight points.

Tova Gelb hauled in eight caroms, handed out three assists and scored five points.

Julia Harvey scored five points and collected five rebounds.

Ashley Mostrom handed out three assists and scored three points.

Mo Regan swiped five steals, secured five rebounds and added a pair of assists.

For The Raptors
Lexi Miller equaled the game-high in scoring with 15 points and closed a double-double with a game-high 17 rebounds.

Aislynn Dixon scored eight points.

Shirley Dong scored five points, swiped three steals and collected three rebounds.