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POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 12, 2011) – Facing a must-win situation to stay alive in the Liberty League playoff picture, the Vassar College women's basketball team relied on defense and a strong second half offense to upset Skidmore College, 59-49, on Saturday afternoon at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

Vassar held Skidmore to 36 percent shooting from the field and forced 18 Thoroughbred turnovers – leading to 21 points – to split the two-game series. While Skidmore was able to control portions of the contest with its inside game keyed by a 34-10 advantage in points down low, it was a trio of Vassar guards – junior Brittany Parks, sophomore Ali Higgins and freshman Cydni Matsuoka that ignited a 38-point second half offense that led to the victory. The Brewers got a considerable lift from Higgins, who in making her second-ever start, tied her career high of 13 points, eight of which came in the second half.

The win improves Vassar to 12-10, 6-5 in the Liberty League. Skidmore falls to 11-11, 7-5. The Brewers remain in a tie for fifth place with Rensselaer, who Vassar will face in Troy on Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. Skidmore sits in fourth place and hosts Clarkson next Friday night in Saratoga Springs.

Skidmore controlled the first half, but Vassar countered with an offensively efficient second half, improving on an 11 percent 3-point shooting percentage (1-for-9) into 44 percent (4-9). Skidmore struggled from behind the arc, going 3-for-21 for the game and 1-for-12 in the second half. Those second half shooting miscues enabled the Brewers to inch back into the game.

Vassar trailed 22-21 at halftime. Skidmore scored the first two points of the second half off a layup by junior guard Megan Gaugler for a 24-21 lead, but the Brewers went on a game-changing 12-2 run that built a 33-26 lead following a deep 3-pointer from Parks with 14:47 to play. Skidmore closed within four points, 37-33, after a jumper in the paint by junior Christina Gargiso with 7:09 remaining, but over the next five minutes, the Brewers went on an 8-2 run to surge ahead 45-35, the key blow coming off a 3-pointer by Matsuoka with 2:49 to play.

Keyed by the play of Gargiso, Skidmore took control of a slow-to-develop first half, going on a 14-7 run that earned the Thoroughbreds a 18-11 lead with 5:57 to play until intermission, their largest lead of the game. Four straight baskets – two from Parks, one from Higgins and one from senior guard Carolyn Crampton whittled the Skidmore lead to 22-21 at halftime.

Parks led all scorers with 16 points. Matsuoka added 15 points and Higgins with 13 points, five coming off free throws. Crampton tallied 7 points and led all rebounders with 9.

Skidmore was placed by Gaugler with 13 points. Gargiso chipped in 11 points and six rebounds.