Saratoga Springs, NY – Senior
Tova Gelb (Sharon, MA) posted career-highs with 28 points and 19 rebounds and classmate
Julia Harvey (Delmar, NY) added 24 points as the Vassar College Women's Basketball team closed out a three-game Liberty League road swing with a 69-54 victory at Skidmore Wednesday evening.
The Brewers have won four straight against the Thoroughbreds with Wednesday's triumph and improve to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in conference competition. Skidmore slips to 4-4 overall on the season and 2-1 in league action.
First Half
- After Skidmore grabbed an early 3-2 lead, Vassar put together a 7-0 spurt, keyed by a triple from Harvey, to move in front for good in the game.
- Vassar surged in front 15-6 on a Gelb conversion with 1:43 left in the first period, before a 7-0 closing run from the Skidmore pulled it to within 15-13 through 10 minutes of play.
- Vassar shot 33.3-percent from the floor in the opening stanza, connecting on one three-pointer and outscoring Skidmore 4-1 from the free-throw line.
- The Brewers blew the game open in the second frame, shooting 57.9-percent in the quarter and outscoring Skidmore 24-4 heading into halftime.
- The Vassar lead grew to double-figures for the first time on a Bella Tawney (Simsbury, CT) layup that made the score 27-17 just past the midway point of the stanza.
- Back-to-back Maureen Regan (Oak Lawn, IL) buckets in the final minute, including one at the horn, sent Vassar into the intermission with a 39-17 lead.
- The Brewers shot 47.1-percent from the floor over the first half, despite a 2-for-8 effort from three-point range.
- Skidmore was limited to 21.9-percent shooting before halftime and went just 2-for-16 from behind the arc.
- Gelb led all scorers at the break with 19 points.
Second Half
- Vassar spread the lead to a game-high 23 points on a Harvey triple that made the score 42-19 only 35 seconds into the second half.
- Skidmore came back with a 10-0 run, getting two triples from Sarah Chambers, to cut its deficit to 42-29 with 5:37 left in the period.
- The Brewers spread the advantage back to 47-29 on a Harvey free-throw and Harvey converted a layup to close out the third period scoring to send Vassar into the final stanza leading 49-35.
- Vassar went just 3-for-12 from the floor in the third quarter.
- Skidmore went 4-for-13 from the floor in the stanza, hitting on two triples, while outscoring Vassar 8-3 from the free-throw line.
- Vassar maintained a double-figure lead until the 7:26 mark of the final period when an Emmy Plage lay-up brought the Thoroughbreds to within 50-41.
- A Gelb free-throw pushed the lead back to double-figures and four straight conversions from the line by Harvey pushed the advantage back out to 59-42 with 4:50 left to play.
- Skidmore would pull back to within 12 points three times over the final 3:12, but a jumper from Gelb and two more Harvey free-throws closed out the final 15-point decision.
- Vassar cooled to 34.8-percent shooting in the second half.
- Skidmore converted at 37.5-percent in the second half.
For The Brewers
- Gelb rounded out a big game going 10-for-19 from the floor and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line, reaching a career-high point total. Five of Gelb's career-high 19 caroms came on the offensive end while leading all players with seven assists and five steals.
- Harvey tallied 24 points after connecting on three triples to go along with a 9-for-10 effort from the free-throw line. Harvey rounded out a double-double with 11 rebounds and added a block.
- Regan scored six points off the bench for the Brewers, adding an assist and a steal.
- Caroline Siekman (Islesboro, ME) chipped in five points and five rebounds.
- Sierra McDermed (San Antonio, TX) finished off the win with four points, four rebounds and four assists.
For The Thoroughbreds
- Chambers notched a team-high 16 points, going 5-for-10 from the floor overall with a trio of treys. Chambers added a team-high seven rebounds for the Thoroughbreds.
- Madison Meyer came off the bench to score 10 points and collect four rebounds.
- Cassie Davidson rounded out the evening with eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
- Sophia Martinez handed out six helpers and chipped in six points and three steals.
Game Statistics
- Vassar finished the game shooting 42.1-percent overall, but went just 3-for-16 from three-point range.
- Skidmore was held to 29.7-percent shooting overall and a 4-for-23 effort from three-point range.
- The Brewers outscored Skidmore 18-12 from the free-throw line.
- Vassar was forced into a season-high 20 turnovers, leading to a 25-15 edge for Skidmore in points off of miscues.
- Points in the paint were even at 28-28.
- The Skidmore bench outscored Vassar's 23-8.
What's Next
- Vassar is off until December 29 when it takes on Johns Hopkins in St. Petersburg, FL.
- Skidmore hosts defending National Champion NYU on January 4.
