Box Score
Game Program

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 28, 2012) – A torrid start that included a 26-5 lead – including 56 percent shooting and from 3-point distance – and a final 20-3 run over the in the closing five minutes propelled the Vassar College women's basketball team to a 74-52 victory over Clarkson University on Saturday afternoon in Liberty League action at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

The Brewers had a blistering start to the contest. Vassar built a 21 point lead within the game's first ten minutes, and held Clarkson without a point for more than six minutes in building up its substantial lead. The Golden Knights didn't lose easily, however, fighting back from an 18-point second half deficit (43-25) to close within eight points at 52-44 with 6:44 to play. Vassar then went on a 20-3 run over a five minute span to build a 72-49 lead and secure the victory.

Vassar, now 10-7, 4-4 in the Liberty League, remains idle until Friday, February 3 when the Brewers host Skidmore in a Liberty League contest at 6:00 pm. Clarkson, 7-9, 2-6, returns to action on January 31 with a home game against St. Lawrence at 6:00 pm.

Freshman forward Colleen O'Connell set the tone by grabbing 19 rebounds, which tied the school single game record set by Rachel Cerlen in the 2006 season.

Sophomore guard Cydni Matsuoka drained a 3-pointer from the left elbow just 13 seconds into the game and the Brewers never looked in the rear view mirror. In building its 21 point lead, four different Brewers figured into the scoring column, including a couple of buckets from Matsuoka, sophomore forward Hannah Senftleber and O'Connell. A 51 percent shooting first half provided Vassar with a 43-23 halftime lead, which included a 20-6 margin in points off turnovers and a decisive 22-2 bulge in bench points.

The Golden Knights made the game interesting by trimming an 18 point Vassar lead to eight points due in large part to the tenacious play of senior guard Carey Turner and freshman guard Raeanne Clabeaux. A Clabeaux free throw with 6:44 to play cut the Vassar lead to 52-44, but the Brewers responded in quickly, getting four straight layups from senior guard Brittany Parks, Senftleber and two from freshman guard Nyah Berg in a little over a minute to push the lead back to 14 points. The margin would grow to 23 points, 72-49, following another Berg layup with 1:28 remaining.

Matsuoka led Vassar in scoring for the tenth straight time with 16 points, 12 of them coming off 3-pointers. Berg set a new career high with 12 points and the forward combo of senior Kristyn Tempora and O'Connell had 12 and 10 points respectively.

Clabeaux led Clarkson with 15 points. Turner followed with 13 points and a team-best nine rebounds.