POUGHKEEPSEI, N.Y. – Junior Sophie Nick (Denver, CO) recorded her 13^th double-double of the season, but it was not enough as the Vassar women's basketball team fell to Ithaca 64-55 on Saturday afternoon. The Bombers claim the Liberty League regular season title along with the top seed in the playoffs. The Brewers clinch the third seed and host Skidmore on Tuesday evening.

Ithaca led for almost the entire game, but Vassar kept the game within reach and never trailed by more than 14. The Brewers would cut the lead to just one point in the fourth quarter before the Bombers defense held Vassar away down the stretch. 
Senior Julia Roellke (Poughkeepsie, NY) took advantage of her early playing time, scoring the opening layup at 9:08. Unfortunately, that would be the Brewers' largest lead of the game as Ithaca responded with a three-pointer and a pair of free throws to go up 7-2. Senior Maddie Leong (Atascadero, CA) put up two quick baskets to make it 9-8 Ithaca at 5:57, and then Isa Peczuh (Willington, CT) made the inside layup to give Vassar the one-point 10-9 lead. Ithaca's Annie Giannone then sank two threes in a row to retake the lead and it proved to be one they would not relinquish.

The second quarter was all Ithaca, with the Bombers shooting 57.1 percent (8-of-14) while limiting the Vassar offense to 20 percent (2-of-10). Ithaca extended its lead to 10 when Kellyanne O'Reilly drained a triple at 7:40. Dani Douglas (Kalispell, MT) answered with a triple of her own to cut the lead to 22-15, but that sparked a 6-2 Bombers' run to go up 11 at 4:07. Vassar kept the game within reach, but Ithaca led 36-24 at the half.

After a rough second quarter, the Brewers woke up in the third, outscoring Ithaca 22-13. A pair of Bombers' free throws pushed the lead to 14, but a three from Ryan DeOrio (Collegeville, PA) and four-straight points by Natalie Pettirossi (Weston, MA) began to chip away at the deficit. At 1:19, Peczuh hit her third three of day to make it 47-42. Ithaca would score again, but Nick closed the quarter with two baskets lessen the lead to 49-46.

Vassar's momentum did not carry into the fourth. The Brewers were held to only two made baskets, while the Bombers held a 15-9 scoring advantage. After limited scoring on both sides, O'Reilly hit another three at 1:03 to push the lead to six, and Giannonne netted four free throws in the final 20 seconds to secure the win.

Nick led the Brewers with 23 points and 13 rebounds and also shot 11-of-12 from the free throw line. Peczuh finished with 13 points and six boards. Pettirossi grabbed nine boards and had five points. In light of senior day, Roellke, Leong and Maeve Sussman (Needham, MA) were honored before the game. As a team, Vassar outrebounded Ithaca 47-37.

Giannone had 22 points for Ithaca, while O'Reilly finished with 11.

Vassar begins post-season play on Tue. Feb. 19 when they host Skidmore in the first round of the Liberty League Tournament. Start time is 6:30 p.m. at the AFC.