Vassar Brewers Have Cruised to 17th Straight Victory

CANTON – Junior Tova Gelb scored a career-high 26 points and led three players in double-figures as the Vassar College Women’s Basketball team scored a season-high point total in an impressive 81-59 road victory at St. Lawrence, the Brewers’ 17th consecutive triumph.

Vassar improves to 18-1 overall on the season and to 12-0 in conference play with Saturday’s win, while St. Lawrence dips to 8-10 and 7-5 in Liberty League action.

First Half
After the two teams traded buckets in the early going, Vassar raced out to a 17-5 lead on a Caroline Siekman bucket with 4:20 left in the opening frame.

A Gelb layup at the 3:15 mark pushed the Brewers in front 21-9 and a Tash Thompson conversion late in the quarter moved Vassar in front 23-11.

St. Lawrence finished the quarter with the final four points, including an Elizabeth Flynn bucket in the final minute, to pull to within 23-15 through 10 minutes, the closest it would be the rest of the afternoon.

Vassar shot an efficient 52.6-percent from the floor over the first 10 minutes despite knocking in just one of its five three-point attempts.

Gelb moved the Brewers back in front by double-figures with a bucket early in the second frame and closed an 8-2 stretch for the Brewers with a three-pointer that made the score 31-17.

A Sierra McDermed layup at the 3:14 mark of the second frame improved the Brewers’ lead to 38-22.

McDermed later converted a layup in the closing seconds of the first half to give Vassar its largest lead of the opening 20 minutes and sent it into the intermission with a 44-26 lead.

Vassar shot an efficient 51.4-percent in the first half and connected on a trio of three-pointers.

St. Lawrence finished the first half shooting 23.3-percent and went 2-for-8 from behind the arc.

Second Half
St. Lawrence came out of the break with the first seven points, including a Jackie Malley triple, to slice its disadvantage to 44-33.

Vassar came back with a 12-6 stretch that featured back-to-back triples from Gelb to regain a 56-39 lead with 4:13 left in the third quarter.

A Julia Harvey bucket at the 2:52 mark gave the Brewers a 60-43 lead before the two team went scoreless until a Harvey conversion in the final half minute sent Vassar to the final stanza with a commanding 62-43 lead.

A Gelb bucket to open the fourth quarter pushed the lead to 64-43 and a Harvey triple at the 8:14 mark gave Vassar a 67-43 lead.

A Harvey layup with 4:51 left to play gave the Brewers a game-high 75-50 advantage.

St. Lawrence would be unable to climb closer than 19 points the rest of the way before a pair of Mo Regan free-throws with 26 seconds left gave Vassar the final 81-59 decision.
Vassar finished the second half converting at 42.9-percent overall and connected on three more triples.

St. Lawrence improved to 41.2-percent shooting in the second half and hit on four triples.

For The Brewers
Gelb led the way for the Brewers with a career-high 26 points, shooting an efficient 11-for-17 from the floor, including a 4-for-8 effort from three-point range. Gelb rounded out the day with a team-high seven rebounds to go along with two assists, a block and a steal.

McDermed finished with 15 points, going 6-for-12 from the field, while contributing six rebounds, three assists and a trio of steals.

Harvey chipped in 13 points, three rebounds and three steals.

Naiya Kurnik matched the game-high with four assists and posted eight points and four boards.

Siekman joined Kurnik with a game-high four helpers to go along with four points and four caroms.

Bella Tawney blocked two shots, collected three rebounds and scored five points.

For The Saints
Malley led the way for St. Lawrence with 16 points, connecting on four triples, and added three rebounds.

Flynn led all players with 16 rebounds and closed out a double-double with 14 points while dishing out four assists.

Norah Niesz totaled 11 points and secure four rebounds.