POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 12, 2016) — Sophomore forward Ariella Rosenthal was lights out at the Athletics and Fitness Center, as the Vassar College women's basketball team topped Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 72-58.
 
"(Rosenthal) always gets after it," coach Candice Brown said. "She didn't even feel her best today, so the fact that she stuck with it, she was on the floor, she was being aggressive, she was being an offensive threat, that really helped us get the win tonight."
 
Rosenthal (Mill Valley, CA/Redwood) scored 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting, making Tuesday night's game the third time she's scored 20-plus points this season. 
 
The Brewers demonstrated unselfish play and terrific ball movement, as 22 dishes resulted in 27 baskets. 
 
"Every team's going to play us in the zone right now because we're not a great three-point shooting team," Brown said. "We've been working on shifting the zone, one side to the other, using skip passes, moving the ball, moving when you don't have the ball. We got some really great open looks, some really great passing combination. I was really impressed with their ball movement tonight."
 
Rosenthal was one of three Brewers to score in double figures. Senior guard Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) added 13 points and senior forward Rose Serafini (Milton, ON, Canada/Milton District) finished with 11. 
 
Defensively, freshman forward Julia Roellke (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie Day School) showed off her stuff with a career-best five blocks. Senior guard Alex Moon (Mission Hills, CAl/Bishop Alemany) and Serafini pulled in seven rebounds apiece, as the Brewers won the battle of the boards, 51-35.
 
RPI used its size and speed to get ahead early, taking a nine-point, 12-3, lead about midway through the first quarter. But the Brewers kept chipping away before Rosenthal tied it at 18 with a jumper. 
 
Rosenthal later drained a 3-pointer to tie it at 21 right before hitting a jumper, putting VC ahead for good with 5:08 remaining in the half. The Brewers took a two-point, 31-29, advantage into the break.
 
Both teams scored 20 points in the third quarter, but VC outscored the Engineers 21-9 in the fourth to put them away. 
 
"Each quarter, we worked and we got better, and that's exactly what we wanted to do," Brown said. "Each time we're out on the floor, we just want to continue to get better."
 
The Brewers are back in action Friday when they host Skidmore (6-6, 1-3 Liberty) in the AFC at 6 p.m.