POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 18, 2014) – Vassar went on an 11 point run in the first five minutes of the second half, as the Brewers secured a 70-61 win over SUNY-New Paltz Tuesday evening. Senior Curtis Smith (Mastic, NY/Eastport South Manor) led VC with 17 points; his highest total since February 5, 2013; while junior Erikson Wasyl (Durham, CT/Coginchaug) added 16 to help to Brewers win their second straight game over the Hawks. Vassar moves to 2-1 on the year with the win, while New Paltz drops to 0-2 this season.

After leading 26-22 at the start of the second half, the Brewers were on the ropes early as New Paltz senior Taylor Sowah evened the game at 26 on back-to-back layups within the first minute. Wasyl answered on the other end, hitting a jumper at the 19:00 minute mark to put his side back up by two. A foul underneath led to a Sowah free throw, and the Brewers brought the ball back up the court looking to make a statement.

Wasyl again jump-started the VC offense, hitting an open three with 17:45 to play to increase his team's lead to four. After a block and rebound from senior Alex Snyder (Rutland, VT/Rutland) on the other end, he found fellow senior Luka Ladan (Belmont, MA/Belmont) on the offensive side to make a quick lay up.

Up six, another New Paltz miss gave way to a Smith three pointer at the 16:34 mark, giving the Brewers a 36-27 advantage. Another defensive stop really got the Brewers rolling, as sophomore Mickey Adams (Natick, MA/St. Sebastian's School) drilled a jumper with 15:55 to play to put the hosts up by 11. A New Paltz tip in on the next possession finally ended the run, but the Brewers kept a healthy advantaged for remainder of the half.

The Hawks pressured early and often to try and break the Brewers out of a rhythm, but Vassar was able to stay out of trouble for the most part committing only 11 turnovers to the visitors 18. New Paltz would come as close as seven in the second half after a layup made it 66-59 with 45 seconds to play. But VC took care of business, hitting foul shots and protecting the ball to seal the non-conference win.

The teams battled a little closer in the first half, with New Paltz getting its largest lead of the night on an old fashioned three-point play at the 9:05 mark. Down 16-13, the Brewers got two straight layups from Snyder and Ladan to go back up, before the teams again traded baskets. VC went on a four point run to close the half, after a bucket from beyond the arc from Smith and a free throw from Wasyl gave the Brewers a 26-22 lead at half.  

New Paltz made a staggering 38 trips to the free throw line in the defeat as several Brewers found themselves in foul trouble in the second half. Sowah led all scorers with 19 points. Snyder, Ladan and Adams all chipped in nine points a piece to help Vassar earn its second win of the season.

Vassar will return to action this Saturday, November 22 to face Drew University on the road in Madison, NJ at 4:00 pm.

-VASSAR-