Box Score

MONTCLAIR, NJ (December 8, 2014) – The Vassar College women's basketball team traveled south to take on No. 7 Montclair State University Monday, but dropped a non-conference affair to the Red Hawks 82-53 from the Panzer Athletic Center.

Montclair State, which is ranked in both the D3hoops.com and USA Today/WBCA Top 25 poll, pressured the Brewers (4-4) in 17 first-half turnovers. Those turnovers translated to 17 points for the Red Hawks (8-0) in the opening stanza, but still the Brewers were in the game for the first seven minutes.

Following a layup by Vassar freshman Ariella Rosenthal (Mill Valley, CA/Redwood) to make the score 10-8 in favor of the Red Hawks at 14:32, the hosts went on a 17-4 run over the next seven minutes to take a 27-12 advantage.

The Brewers kept the deficit at 15 over the final 5:37 of the period to take send the game into intermission at 37-22. The fast-paced offense of the Red Hawks were a problem, as the Red Hawks' average scoring possession lasted just 12 seconds, while the Brewers was 22 seconds.

Junior Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) led the Brewers with six points in the opening period, while freshman Kim Romanoff (Durham, CT/Coginchaug Regional) led the team with five boards. MSU's Melissa Tobie scored nine points at the break to lead all scorers, while Kayla Ceballos added eight points at the break.

After the intermission, Montclair State used an 11-2 run over a 2:45 stretch during the first six minutes of the second half to pull away. The Brewers were paced offensively by the 12 points from senior Allyson Pemberton (Weston, MA/Weston), as she shot 6-of-14 from the field, adding three steals.

Drakeley posted 13 points, making all six of her free throw attempts, while Rosenthal finished with 10 points and seven rebounds on the night. Junior Colleen O'Connell (Maywood, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) dealt with foul trouble all night, but added a team-best eight rebounds for Vassar. The Brewers finished the night with 25 turnovers, and shot 35.9 percent (23-64) from the floor.

Ceballos and Janitza Aquino each had 17 points to pace the Red Hawks Monday night, while Tobie added 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. MSU shot 46.8 percent (29-62) from the floor, including hitting on six of the 13 shots from behind the arc.

Vassar is off for 22 days before returning to action December 30 to host the Hawks of Hartwick College in the Athletics and Fitness Center at 7 p.m. in the final game of 2014.