Box Score

               GENEVA, NY (February 8, 2014) – The Vassar College women's basketball looked to avenge its lone Liberty League loss Saturday at William Smith College, but dropped a heartbreaker in overtime to the Herons 75-72 in action from Bristol Gym.

               The contest was back-and-forth until the end, as the game featured 21 lead changes with the score being tied 13 times. William Smith (17-5, 10-3 Liberty League) took the largest lead of the first half at 13-8 after an Ali Pliszka three-pointer, but Vassar (16-4, 9-2 Liberty League) crept back into the game to tie the score at 18.

               VC put together a small 9-4 run over a three-minute stretch near the end of the first half to take a five-point advantage (29-24). William Smith's Molly Breen's layup cut the Brewer lead to three heading into the break, as Cydni Matsuoka (Sacramento, CA/John F. Kennedy) and Hannah Senftleber (Burlington, VT/Burlington) each had eight points apiece for VC.

               The second half saw the lead change hands 14 times, with neither team holding a lead larger than three points. Down the stretch, Vassar led by three at 62-59 with 2:28 to play, but the Herons got another three from Pliszka to tie the score at 62. In the waning moments, WSC got a shot at the buzzer to win the game, but junior Allyson Pemberton (Weston, MA/Weston) chalked up a block to send the game to overtime.

               In the extra session, each team led by three on multiple occasions, with VC's last three-point advantage coming with two minutes to play on a jumper from Matsuoka. Four straight points in the paint by the Herons gave the hosts a one-point lead with 1:09 to play in OT, and the last two of Melanie Patterson's career-high 24 points with 28 seconds to play pushed WSC ahead by three. Vassar had three shots at a game-tying field goal in the last 10 seconds, but couldn't convert.

               Matsuoka finished with her third double-double of the season, chalking up a team-best 19 points to go with 10 assists. Sophomore guard Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) tallied another double-double with 18 points and 10 boards, and Senftleber tallied 16 points and seven caroms before fouling out.

               Sophomore Rose Serafini (Milton, Ontario, Canada/Milton Area) finished with a game-best of 12 rebounds, and junior Michaela Janowski (Stratham, NH/Exeter Area) added 10 rebounds, six points, three assists and two blocks. Vassar shot 38.3 percent (31-81) on the day, and is now 4-4 this season when shooting under 40 percent from the field. The Brewers won the rebounding tally, 51-44.

               Patterson posted her career-high point total on 9-of-12 shooting, posting seven rebounds, six assists and five steals as well. Chloe Hayter tallied a double-double of 19 points and 10 boards, while Erin O'Brien and Pliszka had 12 and 11 points, respectively. WSC shot 29-of-74 (39.2 percent) from the floor Saturday, connecting on seven shots from behind the arc.

               Vassar will return home Friday evening at 6 p.m. to entertain the Thoroughbreds of Skidmore College in the Athletics and Fitness Center in more Liberty League play.