Vassar Claims Victory Over RV Union in Final Seconds

SCHENECTADY – Junior Shea Fitzgerald knocked down a game-winning jumper with just under four seconds remaining to finish with a season-high 28 points and sophomore Parker Neuenhaus notched a career-high 23 points to lead the Vassar College Men’s Basketball team to a 76-74 victory over #RV Union on Saturday afternoon.

The Brewers have won four straight games to improve to 10-3 overall and 6-0 in Liberty League play, marking the first time in program history that Vassar has started a season 6-0 in conference action. Union falls to 12-3 overall and suffers its first conference loss to move to 7-1 in league play.

First Half
Vassar opened the game with a 10-2 lead in the first three minutes behind five points from Fitzgerald, a triple from Neuenhaus and a bucket from junior Sebastian Medina.

The lead ballooned to 20-6 after a 10-4 run as Neuenhaus tallied five points along with three points from Medina and a lay-in from junior Kreekor Karageuzian.

Neuenhaus’ jumper pushed the Brewers ahead 24-8 with 10:56 remaining before a Jack Plesser jumper trimmed the advantage to 12 at the 10:01 mark.

Fitzgerald drilled a three-pointer with 6:57 left in the first half to extend the lead to 31-16 and a Karageuzian bucket kept the Brewers ahead by double digits at 13 with 3:15 to go.

Scott Schmitt’s dunk put the Garnet Chargers within nine with 1:54 left in the half but a Fitzgerald jumper to close the half gave Vassar a 38-27 lead at the halftime break.

Vassar shot a blistering 51.6-percent overall in the first half, including 5-for-13 from three-point distance.

Union finished the opening 20 minutes shooting 36.7-percent from the field and were held to 1-for-12 beyond the three-point line.

Second Half
The Brewers pushed the lead to 17 points at 44-27 on back-to-back triples from Neuenhaus and Fitzgerald.

Following a three-pointer from Medina to hold a 49-32 lead at the 16:41 mark, Union went on a 12-2 run to trim the lead to 51-44 with 13:29 remaining.

Karageuzian’s bucket with 12:38 left put Vassar back ahead by 10 and a Fitzgerald three-pointer with 9:39 remaining put VC ahead 62-52.

Following the Fitzgerald triple, Union rattled off a 12-1 run to take its first lead of the game on a Tanner Tedesco three with 5:47 left in regulation at 64-63.

Christian Dufort’s lay-in gave the Garnet Chargers a three-point advantage at 68-65 with just under five minutes remaining.

A quick 6-0 run over the next two minutes pushed Vassar back ahead 71-68 on a Neuenhaus bucket along with two free throws from Fitzgerald and a layup from junior Eric Zhang.

Union battled back to tie the game at 74 on two Dufort free throws with 15 seconds remaining.

Fitzgerald knocked down a mid-range jumper with just under four seconds left to regain the lead at 76-74.

The Garnet Chargers then turned the ball over on a pass to midcourt and the Brewers ran the clock out to clinch its fourth straight victory and sixth consecutive Liberty League win.

Vassar closed the second half shooting 46.4-percent overall while going 4-for-8 from three and 8-for-16 from the free throw line.

Union shot an even 50-percent from the field, including 5-for-12 from three-point range, and 14-for-15 from the free throw stripe.

For The Brewers
Fitzgerald finished with a season-high 28 points (11-for-23 shooting), six assists, six rebounds and two steals.

Neuenhaus posted a new career-high with 23 points and added six boards and two assists.

Karageuzian recorded seven points, six boards, three assists and two steals while Medina posted eight points, two assists, a steal and a block.

For The Garnet Chargers
Plesser registered a game-high 30 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double while Tedesco tallied 15 points and four assists.

Garside added nine points and four assists along with Dufort chipping in six points and six rebounds.

Schmitt registered eight points and four rebounds while Harrison Collins recorded two points, two assists and four rebounds.