POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 30, 2013) – The Vassar College women's basketball team will enter the stretch run of the Liberty League season this Friday and Saturday, hosting both Clarkson and St. Lawrence. 

The Scouting Report vs. Clarkson

Game Time: Friday, February 1 at 6:00 p.m.

Place: Athletics & Fitness Center

Live Coverage: Live Stats 

Vassar Roster | Vassar 2012-13 Schedule | 2012-13 Statistics | Liberty League Web site 

Series Record: Clarkson leads the series 15-11. The Brewers have won six of the last eight meetings. | Vassar Record Book

Last Game vs. Clarkson (January 12): The Brewers went on a 20-5 run to take a 19-point lead at intermission and cruised to a 63-36 victory. The 20-point scoring blitz came courtesy of junior guard Cydni Matsuoka and sophomore guard Nyah Berg. That dynamic duo did all the scoring – each plunking home ten points. At one point in the game, Matsuoka made seven-straight shots. The Brewers closed out the first half scoring with eight straight points and began the second half with a 15-4 frenzy in the first 6:20 for a commanding 50-20 lead. The Golden Knights weren't able to make a dent in the Vassar lead, enabling the entire Brewers roster to see action. The Vassar reserves outscored Clarkson 13-2.

Vassar Women's Notes (14-4, 6-3):  On Tuesday night, the Brewers used its complete arsenal to defeat a tenacious Bard College team, 71-46, at the Athletics & Fitness Center. The vastly improved Bard team kept clawing throughout, but the Raptors couldn't contain Vassar's array of offensive weapons, one that produced a season-best four players in double figures. Led by 15 points each from junior guard Cydni Matsuoka and sophomore forward Colleen O'Connell, Vassar controlled the game from start to finish, building a 37-23 lead at halftime and outscoring Bard by 11 points in the second half.

Vassar jumped out to a quick 14-3 lead, but at the 9:41 mark of the first half, a jumper by Bard's Imani Jones brought the Raptors to within four, 17-13. Vassar countered by going on a 20-12 run to close out the half, getting scoring from five different players, including five from rapidly improving sophomore guard Delaney Fischer. Led by a Vassar bench that outscored Bard 21-2, the Brewers held a 12 to 16 point lead for the majority of the second half. It wasn't until the final eight minutes of the game that Vassar pulled away. In the final 5:35, the Brewers went on a game-ending 11-0 run for the 71-46 victory.

National Numbers:  In the January 24 NCAA Statistics, Matsuoka ranks 50th in the nation in scoring, 24th in assists, 17th in field goal percentage, 2nd in 3-point shooting percentage and 9th in assist to turnover ratio. She was named to the Liberty League Honor Roll on Monday, the 15th time in her career she has been honored by the league.

Liberty League Numbers: Matsuoka ranks third in the Liberty League in scoring (17.4 ppg), and leads in field goal percentage (58 percent) and 3-point field goal percentage (48 percent). O'Connell ranks sixth in rebounding (7.6 rpg).  As a team, Vassar leads the Liberty League in scoring (67.7 ppg), field goal percentage (.42) and rebounding (42.5 per game).

Next Up: The Brewers will play Saturday, February 2 at 2:00 p.m against St. Lawrence.

Coach: Vassar is coached by Candice Brown, who is in her fourth season. Brown has led the Brewers to back-to-back Liberty League Championships and appearances in the NCAA Division III Championships. She was the 2010-11 Liberty League Coach of the Year.

Clarkson Roster | Clarkson  2012-13 Schedule | 2012-13 Statistics

Clarkson Notes (2-15, 0-9) : A strong start in the second half saw Clarkson nearly erase a significant halftime deficit against St. Lawrence. The Saints rediscovered their form, however, and clinched a 69-47 Liberty League victory over the Golden Knights Tuesday night at Burkman Gymnasium. Sophomore guard Leighann Tomita had a team-high 15 points to go along with nine rebounds to lead Clarkson. Classmate Jovanna Snead, a native of Poughkeepsie, tossed in eight points.

Next Up: Clarkson travels to Bard for a 2:00 p.m. game on Saturday.

Clarkson is coached by John Hampton, a 2008 Mansfield graduate. He is in his fifth season at Clarkson. 

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Scouting Report vs. St. Lawrence 

Game Time: Saturday, February 2 at 2:00 p.m.

Live Coverage:  Live Stats |  Live Video

St. Lawrence Roster | St. Lawrence  2012-13 Schedule | 2012-13 Statistics

Series Record: St. Lawrence holds a 24-4 lead in a series that began in the 1999-2000 season. The Brewers have earned two of their four wins in the Liberty League Championships, a semi-final win in 2011 and a championship victory last season. | Vassar Record Book

Last Game vs. St. Lawrence (January 12, 2013): In an eagerly anticipated rematch of last year's Liberty League Championship game, the St. Lawrence women's basketball team used a strong second half 11-0 run in a three-minute span to defeat the Brewers, 81-60, on Friday night at Burkman Gymnasium.

The game swung dramatically in St. Lawrence's favor at the 16:28 mark of the second half when the Saints held a 46-39 lead. In the rapid span of three minutes, St. Lawrence went on an 11-0 run to build a substantial 57-39 lead.  Four different St. Lawrence players figured into the scoring and from that point the Brewers were in catch-up mode and never sliced into the St. Lawrence lead. In that game-changing time frame, the Brewers went 0 for 5 from the field, missed two free throws and had three turnovers. St. Lawrence made the most of its opportunity.

St. Lawrence University Notes (7-3, 1-0): On Friday night, St. Lawrence faced Bard College. Prior to that game, St. Lawrence defeated Clarkson 69-47 on Tuesday night. Kara McDuffee had 21 points to lead the Saints, and added in ten rebounds, six assists and four steals. Lauren Quattrocchi contributed 15 points for the Saints and Cassie St. Hilaire also produced ten points and seven rebounds.  

Next Up: After tonight's game, the Saints travel to Skidmore for a 6:00 p.m. game on February 5. 

St. Lawrence is coached by Don Rogier in his fourth season.