LOUDONVILLE, NY – Three players reached double-figures to lead Vassar College to a 72-60 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Liberty League women's basketball action on Friday. The game, which was held at the UHY Center on the campus of Siena College, saw the Brewers improve to 9-6 overall with an 8-1 mark in league action. The Engineers fall to 3-9 and 2-5 in the Liberty League.

The Brewers jumped out to the early lead, but the Engineers kept things close turning an 8-5 Vassar lead into an 8-all score on a three pointer from Nicole DaPra with 2:50 left in the first quarter. VC turned up the heat from three-point range in the final two minutes as senior captains Sarah Gillooly and Dani Douglas each drained three's to put the Brewers up 14-8 at the end of the quarter.

In the second frame, RPI got the opening bucket, but Vassar countered as a three from junior Ashley Hansen made it 17-10 at the 8:43 mark. Hansen went to the line seconds later, converting for the seven-point edge (19-12), but a pair of free throws from DaPra, followed by a layup from Heather Converse closed the gap to three (19-16) with 7:25 to play.

The Brewers held a 23-16 advantage with under five minutes to play and shots from Becca Gregg and Erin Doyle were sandwiched around a Douglas jumper to make it a 25-20 VC margin with 4:32 on the clock. A shot from downtown by RPI's Ahnalese Pearson at 2:46 made it a 29-26 score, but it would be the final points of the frame as rookie Julia Harvey drained a three, followed by another shot beyond the arc – this time from Gillooly – to send Vassar into the intermission up 35-26.

Vassar continued its outstanding play into the third quarter as junior captain Eliza Srinivasan sank a layup at 9:19, backed up by a trey from Douglas less than a minute later for the 40-28 advantage. The Engineers went on a 7-0 run after that as Doyle and Ashlyn O'Neil each drained shots from inside, while Pearson dropped in another three-pointer for a 40-35 score at 6:37.

The Brewers quickly rebounded, taking advantage at the free throw line as Srinivasan sank a pair, while Gillooly went to the line and dropped in three straight for a 10-point (45-35) lead with 4:57 remaining. Three consecutive baskets from Gregg put RPI back within striking distance (45-41), but the Brewers rebounded as Douglas nailed another shot from three-point range to open back up a seven-point margin (48-41) at 2:55.

Out of a Vassar timeout, the Engineers took advantage at their own free throw line, but the Brewers battled back once more as rookie Tova Gelb nailed a three at 1:49 for the 51-43 lead. Gelb drained the final bucket of the quarter with six seconds left, opening the lead back to 10 (53-43) heading into the fourth quarter.

Vassar carried that momentum right into the fourth quarter as Srinivasan dropped in a layup in the opening 20 seconds for the 12-point (55-43) edge. A layup from Marley Mueller at 7:19 helped pull the Engineers back to within 56-45, but a layup from junior Alex Lee pushed the Brewers back to a 13-point edge.

RPI saw DaPra drain a pair of free throws on back-to-back trips to the line late in the frame, but the Vassar margin held strong in the final seconds for the victory.

Leading the Brewers was Gillooly, who dropped in a game-high 20 points. She added four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Douglas added 13 points with four boards and four steals, while Srinivasan had 10 points with a game-best five assists, a block and three steals. Rookie Tash Thompson paced the squad in rebounds with six, while Lee also had four steals.

For the Engineers, DaPra posted 14 points, going a perfect 8-for-8 at the line. She also had six boards, three assists, a block and a steal. Gregg dropped in 12 points and five rebounds, while O'Neil had a game-best 10 rebounds. Pearson added seven points, five boards and a game-best five assists.

Vassar returns to the court on Saturday at 2pm, traveling to Bard for a league tilt. The Engineers will host Skidmore on Sunday at 1pm at the East Campus Athletic Village.