Gelb’s Career-High Sparks Vassar 69-54 Road Win

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Senior Tova Gelb posted career-highs with 28 points and 19 rebounds and classmate Julia Harvey added 24 points as the Vassar College Women’s Basketball team closed out a three-game Liberty League road swing with a 69-54 victory at Skidmore Wednesday evening.

The Brewers have won four straight against the Thoroughbreds with Wednesday’s triumph and improve to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in conference competition. Skidmore slips to 4-4 overall on the season and 2-1 in league action.

First Half
After Skidmore grabbed an early 3-2 lead, Vassar put together a 7-0 spurt, keyed by a triple from Harvey, to move in front for good in the game.

Vassar surged in front 15-6 on a Gelb conversion with 1:43 left in the first period, before a 7-0 closing run from the Skidmore pulled it to within 15-13 through 10 minutes of play.

Vassar shot 33.3-percent from the floor in the opening stanza, connecting on one three-pointer and outscoring Skidmore 4-1 from the free-throw line.

The Brewers blew the game open in the second frame, shooting 57.9-percent in the quarter and outscoring Skidmore 24-4 heading into halftime.

The Vassar lead grew to double-figures for the first time on a Bella Tawney layup that made the score 27-17 just past the midway point of the stanza.

Back-to-back Maureen Regan buckets in the final minute, including one at the horn, sent Vassar into the intermission with a 39-17 lead.

The Brewers shot 47.1-percent from the floor over the first half, despite a 2-for-8 effort from three-point range.

Skidmore was limited to 21.9-percent shooting before halftime and went just 2-for-16 from behind the arc.

Gelb led all scorers at the break with 19 points.

Second Half
Vassar spread the lead to a game-high 23 points on a Harvey triple that made the score 42-19 only 35 seconds into the second half.

Skidmore came back with a 10-0 run, getting two triples from Sarah Chambers, to cut its deficit to 42-29 with 5:37 left in the period.

The Brewers spread the advantage back to 47-29 on a Harvey free-throw and Harvey converted a layup to close out the third period scoring to send Vassar into the final stanza leading 49-35.

Vassar went just 3-for-12 from the floor in the third quarter.

Skidmore went 4-for-13 from the floor in the stanza, hitting on two triples, while outscoring Vassar 8-3 from the free-throw line.

Vassar maintained a double-figure lead until the 7:26 mark of the final period when an Emmy Plage lay-up brought the Thoroughbreds to within 50-41.

A Gelb free-throw pushed the lead back to double-figures and four straight conversions from the line by Harvey pushed the advantage back out to 59-42 with 4:50 left to play.

Skidmore would pull back to within 12 points three times over the final 3:12, but a jumper from Gelb and two more Harvey free-throws closed out the final 15-point decision.

Vassar cooled to 34.8-percent shooting in the second half.

Skidmore converted at 37.5-percent in the second half.

For The Brewers
Gelb rounded out a big game going 10-for-19 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line, reaching a career-high point total. Five of Gelb’s career-high 19 caroms came on the offensive end while leading all players with seven assists and five steals.

Harvey tallied 24 points after connecting on three triples to go along with a 9-for-10 effort from the free-throw line. Harvey rounded out a double-double with 11 rebounds and added a block.

Regan scored six points off the bench for the Brewers, adding an assist and a steal.
Caroline Siekman (Islesboro, ME) chipped in five points and five rebounds.

Sierra McDermed (San Antonio, TX) finished off the win with four points, four rebounds and four assists.

For The Thoroughbreds
Chambers notched a team-high 16 points, going 5-for-10 from the floor overall with a trio of treys. Chambers added a team-high seven rebounds for the Thoroughbreds.

Madison Meyer came off the bench to score 10 points and collect four rebounds.

Cassie Davidson rounded out the evening with eight points, five rebounds and three assists.

Sophia Martinez handed out six helpers and chipped in six points and three steals.