Box Score

               SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (January 10, 2014) – Senior forward Hannah Senftleber (Burlington, VT/Burlington) scored a team-high 22 points in leading the Vassar College women's basketball squad to a 58-50 victory over Skidmore College in the Liberty League opener for the Brewers Friday.

               The Brewers (8-2/1-0 Liberty League) fell behind early,  as the Thoroughbreds hit five of their first six shots in taking a 9-4 lead after the opening few minutes. Vassar trailed for much of the first period before rattling off 14 straight points over a span of 5:07 to take a 32-22 lead. Skidmore finished the half with four points to make the score 32-26 Vassar going into the halftime break.

               Senftleber led all scorers in the opening period, netting 12 points while grabbing five boards. Sophomore post player Rose Serafini (Milton, Ontario, Canada/Milton Area) added a team-best six rebounds in the half, as VC led the Thoroughbreds 11-2 in second chance points and also outscoring Skidmore 8-0 on fast break opportunities.

               After the teams returned from the halftime break, Skidmore trimmed the Vassar advantage to four on a pair of occasions, but a 10-2 run over a six-minute stretch capped by a Cydni Matusoka (Sacramento, CA/John F. Kennedy) layup put Vassar up 12 with just under 12 minutes on the clock.

               The hosts again shrunk the VC lead down to six with 6:31 remaining, but a 12-4 stretch by the Brewers highlighted by five points from Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) would seal the win for Vassar. Senftleber made nine of her 15 shots on the night, also nabbing nine rebounds to lead the Brewers.

               Matsuoka finished with 13 points and five assists, and Drakeley added seven points, eight rebounds and three steals in 34 minutes of action. Serafini was solid off the bench, registering nine caroms to tie for the team lead. The Brewers made 24-of-62 (38.7 percent) from the floor, but converted on seven of the squad's 10 free throws.

               Skidmore's Jordyn Watts was the only player in double figures for the home team, as she had 22 points to tie for the game-high. Angela Botiba added eight points and nine rebounds, and Migle Vilunaite contributed seven points in 17 minutes. Skidmore was held to 33.9 percent (20-59) shooting, which included making only 4-of-25 (16 percent) from downtown.

               The win marked the 13^th overall win for Vassar over the Thoroughbreds, as it was also only the third victory for VC at Skidmore since 2003. The Brewers will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. in Schenectady, NY to take on Union College in Liberty League play.