Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 24,2009) – The Vassar College women's basketball team saw a late-game comeback effort thwarted on Tuesday evening as visiting Drew University held on for a 52-48 victory at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

The Brewers fall to 2-2 and will return to action on Monday, November 30 for an away contest at Rutgers-Newark at 7:00 p.m. The Rangers remain unbeaten at 5-0 and next take on USMMA on December 5.

With the score tied 23-23 coming out of halftime, the Rangers quickly established control, forcing the Brewers into five turnovers and allowing just three points over the first six minutes of the second half. In that time, Drew went on a 10-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from sophomore Katherine Luby that gave the Rangers a 36-26 lead with 14:07 to play. It would be Drew's largest lead of the game, as the Brewers steadily chipped away, finally drawing within four, 41-37, off two free throws from sophomore Kristyn Tempora with 6:45 to play.

Vassar continued to edge closer, coming within one point on two occasions. The Brewers finally took their first lead since late in the first half, as senior Emily Haeuser received a pinpoint post feed from freshman Tori Chaltain and powered in a lay-up with 1:58 to play, drawing a foul in the process. Haeuser converted the old-fashioned three-point play for a 48-46 Vassar lead, but Drew senior Jessica DelVecchio immediately responded on the other end, draining her fourth three-pointer of the evening to give Drew a deciding 49-48 lead. Unable to hit a basket on consecutive possessions, the Brewers were forced to foul and the Rangers went 3-for-4 from the charity stripe down the stretch for the final 52-48 margin of victory.

In an evenly played first half that saw three ties and four lead changes, the Brewers took the early lead as Tempora scored a quick five points to spot Vassar a 5-0 lead. It would be the most separation either team would have in the half, however, as consecutive three-pointers from Luby quickly gave Drew a 6-5 lead nearly four minutes into the game. The Rangers maintained a slim lead for the majority of the next 11 minutes, but the Brewers were never far behind and a free throw from Haueser with 5:33 left in the half knotted the game, 18-18. A fast break layup from Tempora off an assist from sophomore Brittany Parks gave the Brewers a 20-18 lead with 4:10 to play in the half. Vassar held the lead and was up 23-20 with 54 seconds to play following a Tempora layup, however, a long three-pointer from the right baseline by DelVecchio tied the game 23-23 with 39 seconds remaining, a score that stood when the first half buzzer sounded.

The Rangers were plagued by turnovers in the first half, committing 12, but had just seven in the second half. Conversely, the Brewers committed 13 of their 20 total turnovers in the second frame.

Tempora recorded her third career double-double, and her first of the season, with a game-high 19 points and ten rebounds. Haeuser chipped in with 13 points, seven rebounds and four steals. With her seven rebounds, Haeuser now has 706 career rebounds, surpassing Kirsten Vogt (705, 1992-96) to stand in second place all-time. Carleen Aubee (1999-03) holds the record with 784 career boards. The guard duo of freshman Olivia Westbrook-Gold and Parks accounted for 15 total rebounds, as Westbrook-Gold pulled down eight rebounds to go with three assists, while Parks recorded seven rebounds and six points.

DelVecchio led the Rangers with 16 points on a 4-for-8 showing from three-point range. Sophomore Danielle Barber added 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Luby and freshman Eden Blazovic added nine and eight points, respectively.