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POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 22, 2011) – In basketball vernacular, it's called being “in the zone,” and against Hamilton College on Saturday afternoon, Vassar College freshman guard Cydni Matsuoka scored a career-high 33 points on a deft 6 of 8 shooting from 3-point distance, to lead the Vassar women's basketball team to a 76-60 victory in Liberty League play at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

In what has become common for the Brewers this season, the dynamic backcourt of Matsuoka and junior guard Brittany Parks were offensive juggernauts, scoring 56 of Vassar's 76 points, with Parks scoring 23 points, the 14th time in 15 games she has recorded double figures.

The victory lifts the Brewers to 9-6 overall and 4-1 in the Liberty League. The nine wins matches last year's win total, which were the most since the 2000-01 season. The 4-1 Liberty League record is the best in school history and keeps the Brewers atop the league standings.

Vassar will look to continue its momentum with a non-conference game against Mount St. Vincent College on Monday, January 24 at 7:00 pm. Hamilton, which has now lost seven straight games, drops to 5-7 overall and 0-5 in the league. The Continentals host Clarkson on January 28 at 6:00 pm.

The combination of Matsuoka and Parks scored 37 of Vassar's 42 halftime points, with Matsuoka shooting 8 for 9 from the field and 4 of 5 from long range in her career-high performance. In a largely competitive first half, Hamilton led only once, 2-0, following the game's first basket by freshman guard Madie Harlem. The Brewers took a 31-30 lead at the 7:19 mark and then went on an 11-1 run to close the half leading 42-32. In that stretch, Matsuoka scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Despite its own solid offensive performance, one that saw three players score in double figures, the Continentals couldn't make enough defensive stops against a Vassar team that made ten 3-pointers, the second most this season and shot 50 percent from long range.

At the 18:27 mark of the second half, Hamilton drew within six points, 43-37, following a layup by sophomore forward Eliza Howe, but for the majority of the second half, the Continentals trailed by double digits. After the initial five minutes of the second half, Hamilton never got closer than 10 points. When Vassar sophomore guard Olivia Westbrook Gold connected on a jump shot with 13:27 to play, Vassar had built a comfortable 55-40 lead.

The Brewers would extend that margin to 18 points (64-46) following a layup by freshman forward Hannah Senftleber with 7:24 to play.

Vassar was buoyed by 20-second half points and had 17 assists on 26 baskets. The Brewers efficiently converted on 17 points off 11 Hamilton turnovers. The Continentals held a 20-14 edge in points in the paint.

Senftleber had 10 points and 11 rebounds, her seventh double-double of the season. Parks notched her own double-double with a career-high 10 assists. Matsuoka had five assists.

Hamilton was led by Howe, who tallied 21 points and with a team-high five rebounds. Sophomore guard Blue Sanders had 12 points and Harlem added 10 points.