Box Score

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 31, 2015) – The Vassar College women's basketball team handed visiting Skidmore College its first Liberty League loss Friday night, holding the Thoroughbreds to just 22.2 percent shooting in a 61-40 VC victory in action from the Athletics and Fitness Center.

Vassar's defense was stellar all night, allowing Skidmore (11-6, 7-1 Liberty League) to just 10 first-half points including 1-21 shooting from three-point land for the game. The Thoroughbreds came into the game with most three-pointers hit in the Liberty League on the season, but couldn't find the mark from deep all night.

The visitors were forced to shoot from outside for much of the game, as the interior defense of Vassar was just as good. VC posted 10 blocks on the night, as junior Rose Serafini (Milton, Ontario, Canada/Milton) tied her school record of nine blocks set last year in Las Vegas against Gwynedd Mercy.

The Thoroughbreds started the game with a jumper by Ella Scheuerell, but from that point the Brewers would go on the attack. VC put together a 12-0 run that spanned 8:06 of the first half, as Skidmore missed 10 consecutive shots. Vassar College (8-9, 3-5 Liberty) grew its lead up to 14 in the first half on a jumper by freshman Ariella Rosenthal (Mill Valley, CA/Redwood) with 17 seconds to go before the break.

At the intermission, Rosenthal led all scorers with eight points, while Serafini took a stat line of six points, five boards and four blocks into the locker room. Out of halftime, the Brewers were able to withstand the press from Skidmore, growing the edge out to as much as 23, coasting to the big Liberty League win.

Rosenthal shot 8-of-16 on the night, scoring a game-best 20 points to go with five rebounds. Rosenthal has averaged 22 points per game against Skidmore this season, scoring a career-high 24 points earlier in the year against the Thoroughbreds. Serafini was outstanding for the second consecutive game, just missing a triple double with 10 points, nine blocks and eight rebounds.

Junior Colleen O'Connell (Maywood, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) posted eight points and seven rebounds for the Brewers, while Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) finished with 10 points, six boards and four helpers on 3-of-6 shooting. The six shots for Drakeley were the fewest of the season for the junior guard.

The Brewers also got seven points, five rebounds and two assists from junior Alex Moon (Mission Hills, CA/Bishop Alemany), but her biggest stat was the zero turnovers she committed. VC shot 43.1 percent (25-58) from the floor, which was the second-best shooting night it has had in the Liberty League this year.

Skidmore earned a double-double out of senior Angela Botiba, as she grabbed a game-high 11 boards to go with a team-high 15 points. Kelly Donnelly added nine points and six boards for the Thoroughbreds, who won the rebounding battle 46-43. The shooting struggles for Skidmore finished to the tune of 14-of-63 from the floor, making just 4.8 percent from downtown. Neither team shot the ball well from the line, as VC made 60 percent (9-15) and Skidmore connected on 57.9 percent (11-19).

The Brewers look to complete the sweep this weekend, as Union College comes to the AFC tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. for a league tip-off.