POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 4, 2015) – Vassar College will look to shake off a 58-48 loss Tuesday night at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute this weekend, as the Brewers head north to battle Clarkson University and St. Lawrence in the tough trip upstate. Vassar College has dropped its last two games, and has struggled to get the scoring touch, averaging just 46 points per game over the last few contents.

Game Details
Date: February 6, 2015
Opponent: Clarkson University (14-5, 7-3 Liberty League)
Links: (Clarkson Team Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Statistics)
Site: Potsdam, NY
Facility: Alumni Gymnasium
Time: 6 p.m.
Twitter Coverage: (@VassarAthletics) (@VassarWBB) (@ClarksonUSports)
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
Game Details
Date: February 7, 2015
Opponent: St. Lawrence University (15-4, 10-1 Liberty League)
Links: (St. Lawrence Team Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Statistics)
Site: Canton, NY
Facility: Burkman Gymnasium
Time: 2 p.m.
Twitter Coverage: (@VassarAthletics) (@VassarWBB) (@SLUSaints)
Game Coverage: (Live Stats) (Live Video)
 
What To Look For
The Brewers are currently four games behind Clarkson and RPI, and three games behind Union College, for the final Liberty League playoff spot. Despite that, Vassar College still has an opportunity to challenge for that last position in the tournament if it can win out and get some help from other teams in the league. VC has six Liberty League games to play, with three coming against teams below it the standings. If the Brewers can knock off Clarkson at home for Alumni Day Friday night, and then defeat conference leading St. Lawrence University Saturday, it would give the Brewers five wins. Vassar College would probably need nine wins to make the tournament, as Union, Clarkson and RPI all have seven currently.
 
A Look At The Golden Knights (14-5, 7-3 Liberty)
Few opponents have been able to slow down the Clarkson offense this season as the team is averaging 73.2 points per game, first in the Liberty League and 36th in all of Division III. The first time around, Clarkson averaged 83 PPG in its weekend trek against the Raptors and Brewers.
 
Clarkson also leads the conference in field goal percentage (41.3%), 3-point field goal percentage (34.3%) turnover margin (+4.84 tpg) and is second in assists (14.8 apg). With another big weekend, Cara Manfredi now ranks second in the conference in scoring at 17.6 PPG, an average that swells to 20.7 points per game when she is playing against league foes. She also leads the league in 3-pointers made (59), just 12 shy of the Knights' single-season record and among the top 10 in the country. Ashley Loggins is third in the league in scoring (16.2 PPG) and is averaging a double-double (10.0 RPG) while leading the league in steals with 3.4 steals per game, a figure that also ranks 25th in the Division III. Two-time Liberty League and ECAC Upstate Rookie of the Week Devin Sorell is averaging 8.3 while playing fewer than 20 minutes per contest this season and has produced six straight games where she has scored in double figures.
 
Projected Starting Lineup: Ashley Loggins (16.2 PPG), Cara Manfredi (17.6 PPG), Stephanie Grobe (10.8 PPG), Madison Shea (6.1 PPG), Alyssia Marsal (5.8 PPG).
 
Against Clarkson All-Time
CU holds a slight 16-14 all-time lead in the series with the Brewers, though Vassar has won the six of the last seven contests and nine of the last 12. Earlier this season, Clarkson rolled past the Brewers 90-67, as the Golden Knights made 30 of their 34 shots from the free throw line.
 
Previous Four Contest: Jan. 24, 2015 | Feb. 22, 2014 | Jan. 24, 2014 | Feb. 1, 2013
 
A Look At The Saints (15-4, 10-1 Liberty)
The Liberty League preseason pick to win the league has not disappointed thus far, going 10-1 in conference play with the one loss coming back on January 2 to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Since then, the Saints have rattled off 10 straight conference wins and have won 10 of their last 11 overall with the one loss coming against No. 3 Amherst January 12. The Saints offense has been a strength, scoring the second-most points of any Liberty League team, posting 69.9 points an evening. SLU makes more three-pointers per game than anyone else in the conference (6.6 3PT/GM), and also give the ball away just 14.3 times per game, the lowest rate in the League. SLU comes into the weekend in the top 10 in the nation in free throw percentage (75.9).
 
The Saints are led by the senior tandem of Kara McDuffie and Allison Cady.  McDuffie does it all for St. Lawrence, as she was recently named the National Player of the Week by the USWBA. She comes into the weekend leading SLU in points (14.2) and rebounds (12.1), averaging five offensive boards per game, which is seventh most in Division III. Cady is posting 12.6 points per night, scoring in a multitude of ways, but multi-threat Caroline Dalton has been sidelined since the last game with Vassar due to a knee injury. Point guard Lauren Quattrocchi is second in the conference in assists with 4.5 a game, and is also ranked nationally in assist/turnover ration.
 
Potential Starting Lineup: Kara McDuffie (14.2 PPG), Allison Cady (12.6 PPG), Ellie Gonyeau (2.9 PPG), Lauren Quattrocchi (6.8 PPG), Kaelyn Kohlasch (4.6 PPG).
 
Against SLU All-Time
The Brewers and Saints have played 32 previous times, with SLU holding a 26-7 record over the Brewers. The last 10 times have been split though, with each team earning five wins apiece. The latest win for VC came in last year's Liberty League Championship, as the Brewers handed SLU a 64-60 win in Canton, NY. Earlier this year, SLU squeaked past Vassar College 59-57.
 
Previous Four Contests: Jan. 23, 2015 | March 1, 2014 | Feb. 21, 2014 | Jan. 25, 2014
 
Two Is Enough
This season, the Brewers are 4-0 when coming into a game with back-to-back losses, and over the previous four seasons have a record of 7-1 when entering a game on a two-game skid.
 
Power Shortage
The Brewers have struggled to put the ball in the hoop over the last couple of games, averaging just 46 points over the last two. The two-game average is the lowest for a Vassar team since averaging just 44 points per game February 5-6, 2014 at Clarkson and SLU.
 
Carrying The Load
Junior guard Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, NY/Nonnewaug) has led the Brewers in scoring in 15 of the Brewers 19 games this year, including seven of the last eight contests.
 
Rejection Junction
Over the last three games junior Rose Serafini (Milton, Ontario, Canada/Milton Area) has shown to be a solid force in the paint, as she has averaged over four blocks per game, totaling 14 rejections in that span.
 
Road Woes
The Brewers have posted just a 3-6 mark this season on the road, going 1-4 on the road in conference play this year.
 
Not Bad Defense
Vassar College has held teams to under 36 percent shooting in four of its last five games, but has only earned one win over the span.
 
Getting Comfortable
Freshman guard Kim Romanoff (Durham, CT/Coginchaug Regional) has started to let the game slow down for her, as the point guard has turned the ball over just four times over the last five games.
 
Up Next
The Brewers will return to action next Friday evening in the Athletics and Fitness Center at 6 p.m., hosting Rochester Institute of Technology in Liberty League play.