SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY (January 3, 2015) – Skidmore College junior Aldin Medunjanin scored a game-high 25 points, including 22 in the second half, as the Thoroughbreds held off Vassar 69-65 in a hard-fought Liberty League contest Saturday afternoon. In a game that saw ten lead changes with neither side able to go ahead by more than six points, the hosts found a way to win down the stretch with timely buckets and clutch free throw shooting. Junior Erikson Wasyl (Durham, CT/Coginchaug) led the way for VC with 16 points, while three other Brewers finished in double figures, but it was not enough as Vassar drops to 4-6 on the season and 1-1 in the Liberty League. Skidmore improves to 5-5 and 2-0 in conference play with the victory.

The matchup between conference foes proved to be a good one, as the game hung in the balance until the final minutes. At the start of the second half, Medunjanin gave his side its first lead since the opening minutes of the game with a layup to go ahead 30-29 with 18:13 remaining. Wasyl had the answer for the Brewers on the other end, hitting one of his four three pointers on the day to put the visitors back ahead 32-30.

VC protected its lead over the next several minutes, before Skidmore gained momentum after a triple from senior Issac Carp evened the game at 39 with 14:08 remaining. Carp nailed another three-ball less than a minute later to give his team the upper hand and its largest lead of the game up to that point 42-39. Skidmore took control over the next five minutes and went ahead by as many as six, before VC clawed its way back into the game.

A layup from senior Alex Snyder (Rutland, VT/Rutland) at the 8:48 cut the Skidmore advantage to 53-49, and then a triple from sophomore Mickey Adams (Natick, MA/St. Sebastian's School) with 7:37 had the Brewers within one. Adams sunk a pair of free throws after getting fouled on the next VC possession to put his squad back ahead 54-53, but Medunjanin answered with two free throws of his own to regain the lead for Skidmore.

The teams again traded baskets, and Vassar led as late as 2:53 mark after a free throw from senior Luka Ladan (Belmont, MA/Belmont) made it 61-59 Vassar. However, the Brewers were held to just one field goal for the remainder of the contest as Skidmore went 6-7 from the line and locked down on defense to close out the victory. VC managed a pair of three point attempts to try and tie in the final seconds, but neither would fall as Skidmore collected the rebound and earned its second Liberty League victory of the weekend.

Vassar led for most of the first half, but couldn't quite pull away as Skidmore remained within striking distance. Carp was able to tie the game with 3:46 remaining in the opening half on a three pointer, but layups from Snyder and fellow senior Curtis Smith (Mastic, NY/Eastport South Manor) denied the Thoroughbreds the lead in the final minutes. It was Skidmore that took the momentum going into half however, as sophomore Royce Paris nailed a shot from downtown to cut the Vassar lead to 29-28 before the buzzer sounded.

Snyder recorded his third straight double-double and fourth of the season in the game, finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Smith finished with 14 points, while Ladan notched 12 for the Brewers. Freshman Martin Bedulskij was the only other Thoroughbred in double figures, tallying 13 points.

Despite the loss, Vassar comes out of its first Liberty League road weekend 1-1 after downing Union 88-80 Friday evening. VC will have an opportunity to get back in the win column on Tuesday, January 6 as the Brewers return to the Athletics and Fitness Center to face Bard College at 8:00 pm.

-VASSAR-