Vassar Topples RPI; McDermed Nets 1,000th Point

TROY – Junior Sierra McDermed netted a game-high 25 points and in the process became the third Brewer this season to surpass 1,000 career points as the Vassar College Women’s Basketball team posted a 75-64 road win at RPI Saturday afternoon. McDermed led four players in double-figures for the Brewers and becomes the 16th player in program history to reach the scoring milestone.

Vassar pushes its winning streak to seven games with the victory and improves to 18-5 overall on the season and 14-2 in Liberty League play. RPI slips below the .500 mark at 11-12 overall and falls to 5-11 in conference action.

First Half
After RPI ran out to a quick 5-0 lead, Vassar came back with the next seven points to grab a 7-5 advantage.

McDermed started the run with a bucket and Maddie Ahearn capped the spurt with a three-pointer.

The Brewers surged in front 17-10 on a Julia Harvey three-pointer and spread its lead to 28-15 following a 5-0 run to finish the first quarter.

The Brewers scored six of the first seven points of the second frame to open a 34-17 lead on a McDermed triple with 5:59 left before halftime.

A Sophia Ippolito triple with 3:52 left in the half pushed the Brewers in front by a half-high 37-19 margin.

McDermed closed out the first half scoring with a jumper with 34 seconds left, sending Vassar into the intermission with a 41-24 lead.

The Brewers shot 41.7-percent before halftime, including an efficient 7-for-13 mark from three-point range.

RPI converted at a 38.5-percent clip prior to halftime and finished the half 2-for-8 from behind the arc.

Second Half
Vassar maintained a double-figure lead until the 3:13 mark of the third quarter when a Callie Flynn bucket brought the Engineers to within 51-42.

The Brewers quickly spread its lead back to 57-42 with a quick 6-0 run before taking a 57-44 lead into the final 10 minutes.

A pair of Harvey free-throws to open the fourth-quarter scoring gave Vassar a 15-point lead, before RPI engineered a 7-0 run finished off by a Ashlyn O’Neill three-pointer that sliced its disadvantage to 59-51 with 7:03 left to play.

Tova Gelb pushed the lead back to double-figures with a three-point play with 5:43 left in the contest.

RPI climbed to within six points twice in the final 4:53, but would be unable to get any closer.

McDermed converted a pair of free-throws in the final seconds to push the lead back to double-figures and give the Brewers the final 75-64 advantage.

The Brewers shot 41.7-percent after halftime and went 2-for-9 from three-point range.
RPI outscored Vassar 40-34 in the second half, shooting 53.3-percent overall despite a 1-for-8 effort from three-point range.

For The Brewers
McDermed entered the day just five points shy of the 1,000-point mark and finished the day 9-for-20 from the floor with four three-pointers. McDermed closed the win with three assists, a pair of blocks and a steal.

Gelb totaled 22 points for Vassar, going 9-for-14 from the floor. Gelb closed a double-double with a game-high 11 rebounds while adding two assists and three steals.

Harvey notched 10 points, adding seven rebounds and three assists.

Ahearn reached double-figures with 10 points, knocking down a pair of three-pointers.

Ippolito chipped in five points off the bench and swiped a pair of steals.

For The Engineers
O’Neill and Flynn each scored a team-best 16 points with O’Neill adding five rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals.

Flynn totaled four caroms and blocked three shots.

Tyler Hormazabal finished a strong all-around day with six points, eight rebounds and a game-high nine assists.

Marley Mueller scored eight points off the bench.

Brooke Boyle chipped in seven points and collected four rebounds.