Box Score

CANTON, NY (January 16, 2010) – Never trailing for the entire forty minutes of Saturday's women's basketball matchup, Vassar College held off defending Liberty League champion St. Lawrence University for a 50-46 win, in the process recording the program's first-ever 2-0 start in Liberty League play. The Brewers, who defeated Clarkson University 69-63 on Friday evening, never led by more than eight and held just a one-point lead with six and half minutes remaining, but refused to relinquish their lead en route to recording Vassar's first win over the Saints since February 2, 2001.

The Brewers have won three straight and improve to 5-5, 2-0 in the Liberty League. Vassar takes the court again for another league matchup on Tuesday, playing at Rensselaer at 6:00 p.m. The Saints fall to 8-4, 0-2. The last time Vassar had a 2-0 league weekend was in the 2000-01 season, also against Clarkson and St. Lawrence. That 2000-01 season, when the Liberty League was then the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (UCAA), was also the last time the Brewers made the league playoffs.

After St. Lawrence's Iris Santoni hit two free throws with 6:24 remaining in the game, the Brewers held a slim 42-41 lead. Vassar responded with seven straight points, off a three-pointer from sophomore Brittany Parks and a layup and two free throws from senior Emily Haeuser, to take a more comfortable eight point lead with 3:08 left to play. The Brewers committed four turnovers in those final minutes, and saw the Saints draw within three off a three-pointer from Samantha Joudoin with 50 seconds remaining, but St. Lawrence missed its final four shot attempts and the Brewers held on for the historic victory.

Vassar scored the first basket of the game, as sophomore Kristyn Tempora hit a layup just over 20 seconds following the tipoff. Both teams struggled to score until Abby Stanton hit a jumper over two minutes later to tie the game at a bucket apiece. It would be the game's only tie, however, as Haeuser quickly responded with a layup giving the Brewers a lead they would never surrender. Vassar led by as many as eight in the first half, but went into the locker room with just a 26-22 advantage.

The Saints hit the first basket of the second half to draw within two points, but freshman Olivia Westbrook-Gold answered with a jumper to give the Brewers a 28-24 lead with 17:20 remaining. Vassar's lead never dipped below three or grew to more than seven until the final 6:24 of the game.

Haeuser led the Brewers with a game-high 21 points and 10 rebounds, her sixth double-double of the season. In a strong all-around performance, Parks added 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting and contributed eight rebounds, five steals, and three assists in 40 minutes of play. Tempora was Vassar's only other scorer with more than two points, chipping in ten points and three assists. The Brewers overcame 28 turnovers and a 12-for-21 day at the free throw line in the win, holding a significant 48-32 advantage on the boards.

Stanton led the Saints with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Casey Capello added ten points and seven steals.