POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 21, 2015) – Despite a late rally, the Vassar College women's basketball team fell in the championship game of the VC Tip-Off Tournament to Haverford College 57-52 in action from the Athletics and Fitness Center.

The visiting Fords (3-1) earned two members on the All-Tournament Team with the win, as Macy Goldbach and Tournament Most Valuable Player Sierra Berkel each were honored. Vassar sophomore Samarah Cook (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) chalked up a spot as well, while Medaille College's Taina Graham and Mount Saint Vincent's Kelly Nola also were selected from the early game.

Vassar College (1-2) led by two points at 8-6 after a free throw by senior guard Alex Moon (Mission Hills, CA/Bishop Alemany), but that was the last time the Brewers would lead as the Fords notched the last four points of the first period to take a 10-8 edge into the second quarter. Haverford scored eight of its 10 points in the opening stanza in the paint.

The second period saw the Fords grow their advantage up to nine points with a little under two minutes to go in the second period, as Goldbach knocked down a three-pointer to make the score 23-14. Vassar trailed 25-17 going into the intermission, as Cook led Vassar players with six points in the opening half.

Haverford opened the half by twice taking a 10-point spread, but the Brewers battled back to trim the HC edge down to three points with 5:40 left in the period after a jumper from sophomore Ariella Rosenthal (Mill Valley, CA/Redwood). The Fords built their advantage back up to eight on a triple from Olivia Walsh, but VC tallied the next seven points to pull to within one after a lay-up from Rosenthal.

The Brewers trailed by four going into the fourth quarter, but Haverford scored nine of the first 13 points of the final period to take a 48-39 lead after a lay-up by Goldbach. VC twice cut its deficit down to three points, the latest coming with 23 seconds to play on a jumper by Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug), but the Fords iced the game with three free throws.

Vassar was paced by a team-best 14 points from Cook, who equaled her career-high point total Saturday. Drakeley added her second double-double in as many days with 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while fellow senior Colleen O'Connell (Maywood, CA/Immaculate Heart Academy) posted five points, four boards and three helpers in 13 minutes.

VC made 23 of its 67 field goals on the afternoon, but struggled from deep as it made just 15.8 percent (3-19) from distance. Vassar also turned the ball over just seven times on the night, which was the fewest turnovers for a Brewers squad since committing just six against William Smith February 26, 2014. Additionally, VC made just 3-of-10 from the charity stripe.

Goldbach led all scorers with 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting, and Berkel added 16 points and eight caroms for the Fords, who made 41.2 percent (21-51) from the field. Mount Saint Vincent defeated Medaille in the consolation game Saturday, 82-57.
Vassar finishes its four-game home stand on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m., hosting SUNY Geneseo in the Athletics and Fitness Center.