The Vassar College Brewers Falter At RPI, 57-39

TROY – The Vassar College Women’s Basketball team was upended on the road at RPI in a key Liberty League contest Saturday afternoon by a score of 57-39. First Year Elodie Ware led the Brewers in scoring with 12 points.

Vassar dips below the .500 mark at 10-11 overall with the loss and to 9-5 in Liberty League play following Saturday’s result. RPI improves to 15-6 overall and to 10-4 in league play, moving a game ahead of both Vassar and St. Lawrence for third place in the conference standings.

Vassar got off to a strong start on Saturday, going 7-for-9 from the floor in the first quarter on the way to building an 18-10 lead through 10 minutes.

The Brewers trailed only briefly in the early going and used a 16-4 run, capped by a Lindsey Shoulders conversion, to grab an 18-8 advantage.

Sophie Costello hit a jumper at the first quarter horn for the Engineers to pull RPI to within 18-10 heading into the second frame.

After a blistering start to the game, Vassar went just 3-for-12 from the floor in the second frame.

Vassar maintained the lead until a Molly Libby bucket knotted the score at 20-20 and a Sydney Blaney layup at the 3:48 pushed the RPI run to 14-2, giving the Engineers a 24-20 lead.

Maureen Regan stopped the run and a better than four-minute scoring drought, pulling the Brewers with within two points with 3:17 left before halftime.

Vassar cut the disadvantage to 26-25 on a Shoulders bucket with 1:15 left in the quarter, but a Siena Smith lay-in with three seconds left in the half gave RPI at three-point edge at the break.

Vassar finished the first half shooting 47.6-percent and misfired on its only three-point attempt in the opening 20 minutes.

RPI converted at 38.2-percent in the first half and went 2-for-11 from behind the arc.

Vassar would trail throughout the third quarter and would get as close as three points following a Maddie Aheran basket at the 9:13 mark.

RPI surged in front 43-34 on a Brooke Boyle bucket at the 1:02 mark ahead of a pair of Ware free-throws that cut Vassar’s disadvantage to 43-36 heading to the final stanza.

Vassar would manage just one field goal and three points in the final frame on Saturday.
RPI held the Brewers off the board until a Ware free-throw at the 6:47 mark.

Vassar’s only field goal came on a Regan layup with just under three minutes left to play.
RPI jumped in front by double-figures for the first time when Smith canned a triple midway through the quarter.

The RPI lead grew to the game-high final decision when Smith connected again from long range to make the score 57-39 in the final minute.

Vassar went just 5-for-21 from the floor after halftime and 0-for-2 from three-point range.
RPI shot 48-percent in the second half and connected on a trio of three-pointers.

For The Brewers
Ware reached double-figures for the fifth time on the season with a team-high 12 points on the strength of an 8-for-9 effort from the free-throw line. Ware rounded out the day with three rebounds, a block and a steal.

Sierra McDermed chipped in 10 points, collected four rebounds and finished with team-highs in assists with three and steals with two.

Shoulders scored seven points and led the team with six rebounds.

Regan totaled six points and handed out a pair of assists.

For The Engineers
Costello led all scorers in the game with 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Costello finished off a big game matching the game-high with four assists.

Niamh Gendron hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds and added nine points.

Tyler Hormazabal scored eight points, collected six rebounds and handed out three assists.

Smith connected on two triples and finished with eight points, five rebounds and four assists.