Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 24, 2009) – Although the Vassar College women's basketball team took a one-point lead into the locker room, it scored just three points in the opening twelve and half minutes of the second half, as St. Lawrence picked up a 55-39 Liberty League win at the Athletics & Fitness Center on Saturday.

The Brewers fall to 2-12, 0-5. Vassar will look to snap a five game losing skid in a non-conference game at St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn, on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. The Saints improve to 11-4, 4-1.

Vassar held a 20-19 lead heading into the second half, but St. Lawrence opened up the final frame with stifling defense. The Saints' ability to trap the ball caused numerous Vassar turnovers, and as the Brewers struggled to score, the Saints steadily pulled away. A free throw shot by senior Jenna Krzemien (Springville, NY/Springville) gave St. Lawrence a 35-23 lead with 8:23 to play, and capped a 16-3 Saint run. Consecutive baskets from freshmen Kristyn Tempora (Marlboro, NJ/St. John Vianney), a short jumper in the lane and a step-back three-pointer, cut St. Lawrence's lead to seven, 35-38 with 7:35 to play, but it was as close as Vassar would come for the rest of the game.

The Brewers put the defending Liberty League champions to the test in the first half. With senior Katie Palmer (Bourne, MA/Falmouth Academy), the Saints' leading scorer, on the bench for nearly 13 minutes with foul trouble, St. Lawrence struggled on the offensive end, going almost seven minutes without a point. The Brewers took advantage of St. Lawrence's scoring drought, as Brittany Parks (Escondido, CA/Escondido) scored 10 consecutive points to singlehandedly turn an 8-6 deficit into a 16-10 lead. The freshman guard started things off by draining a three-pointer on a kick-out from Tempora and followed that up by weaving through the St. Lawrence defense for a lay-up. Another three-pointer from the top of the key and a turnaround jumper in the lane completed the run and gave Vassar a 16-8 lead with 8:07 in the half.

However, when a Tempora step-back three-pointer gave the Brewers a 19-10 lead with 4:35 to play in the half, St. Lawrence coach Jennifer Kroll sent Palmer back into the game. Palmer quickly ignited the Saints, converting a finger roll in the lane. A jumper from Iris Santoni (Florence, MA/Northampton) and a long three-pointer from Senior Lauren Sischo (Rodman, NY/South Jefferson)brought the Saints within two, and fittingly, Palmer tied the game at 19. A Tempora free throw with 7.8 seconds remaining gave the Brewers their one-point lead heading into the locker room.

Vassar was led by Tempora and Parks with 17 and 12 points respectively. Junior Emily Haeuser (South Portland, ME/South Portland) added eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds.

Despite sitting out much of the first half with foul trouble, Palmer led a balanced Saints scoring attack with 14 points. Sischo added nine points and dished out six assists with no turnovers. Krzemien also scored nine points, and junior Brittany Parnham (Fort Drum, NY/Indian River) and freshman Katherine Edgerton (Shelburne, VT/Champlain Valley Union) added eight points apiece.