Box Score
Game Program

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 20, 2012) – While the Vassar College women's basketball team built a comfortable 14-point lead with 8:06 to play in the game, there was always the feeling visiting Wesleyan would claw itself back into the game. The Cardinals did exactly that – tying the game 57-57 with 1:30 to play -- but the Brewers used six straight free throws to secure a 63-59 victory on Tuesday night.

Two free throws by Wesleyan's sophomore forward Jess Cherenza knotted the contest at 57-all with 90 seconds to play, but the Brewers remained calm, getting six made free throws from freshman Caitlin Drakeley, junior Hannah Senftleber and sophomore Colleen O'Connell to withstand a late Wesleyan surge. In the final 1:23, Wesleyan went cold from the field, missing two layups and a pair of 3-pointers that could have effectively brought the game into overtime. The Cardinals were hampered by a 41 percent shooting effort in the second half, which included just 3 of 10 from 3-point distance.

The victory improves Vassar to 3-0 and is the first ever victory over Wesleyan in three games and the Brewers' first over a NESCAC team since the 2000 season when Vassar defeated Connecticut College 80-58. Vassar will next host Hunter College on November 30 at 7:00 p.m. Wesleyan drops to 2-1 on the season and next will host Johnson and Wales University on November 27 at 6:00 p.m.

The first half was tight. While Wesleyan held a brief 6-2 lead, Vassar regained control of the half 12-11 at 15:10 on a 3-pointer by junior guard Cydni Matsuoka. There was no escaping a tenacious Wesleyan team, and the Brewers led only 32-28 at intermission.

Within the first two minutes of the second half, Vassar attempted to end the contest in a hurry, building a 39-30 lead on a right side jumper by Drakeley with 18:13 to play. The Brewers kept its offense in an up-tempo mode with a pair of 12 point leads during the half, and built a 14-point bulge, 55-41, after Drakeley converted a nifty inside layup with 8:06 remaining.

Wesleyan mounted a considerable comeback, going on a 16-2 run, keyed by Cherenza, sophomore guard Dreisen Heath and back-to-back 3-pointers by sophomore forward Cherikira Lashley and freshman guard Jackie Brown to come within 57-55. Cherenza's two free throws tied the contest 57-57.

The Brewers remained aggressive, however, with Drakeley, Senftleber and O'Connell crashing the offensive end and earning trips to the line where they all converted their free throw attempts.

The Brewers got a near-perfect shooting night from Senftleber, who scored 22 points on 7-8 shooting from the floor and a pefect 8-8 from the free throw line. The Brewers got an efficient 18 points from Matsuoka. O'Connell had game-high eight rebounds.

Wesleyan got 12 points from Cherenza and 11 points from Health.