Jan 20, 2012
Colleen O'Connell's layup with six seconds to play forced overtime.
Box Score
GENEVA, NY (January 20, 2012) – Vassar College freshman Colleen O'Connell forced overtime by canning a jumper in the paint with six seconds to play, but William Smith junior Jamie Smith scored a big layup with 34 seconds left in overtime and the host Herons added two crucial free throws with 15 seconds remaining to defeat the Brewers, 70-68, in Liberty League play on Friday evening at Bristol Gym.
The Brewers seemed in control of the overtime. An O'Connell layup 1:20 into the period pushed Vassar ahead 64-60. But with 1:24 to play, Herons sophomore guard Sasha Bornstein drained a 3-pointer for a 66-64 lead, one that the hosts were able to maintain thanks to Rubin's jumper, which provided William Smith with a 68-64 lead with 34 seconds left. Vassar kept the game in reach when senior forward Kristyn Tempora cut the Herons lead to 68-66 with her own jumper. A subsequent Vassar foul sent William Smith sophomore guard Erin O'Brien to the free throw line, where she calmly canned two clutch free throws with 15 seconds left to secure the victory.
The game was a rematch of last year's Liberty League Championship, won by Vassar 84-73.
The loss drops the Brewers to 8-5, 2-2 in the Liberty League, while William Smith improves to 7-7 and 3-2 in league play. Vassar travels to Rochester Institute of Technology for a 2:00 p.m. game on Saturday. William Smith hosts Bard on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
Vassar, which led 30-21 at halftime and 32-21 just 14 seconds in the second half, saw William Smith mount a 13-2 run to tie the contest 34-34 with 12:42 to play in a half that had seven lead changes. The Herons surged ahead 52-47 with 4:28 left. Vassar tied the contest 52-52 on a Tempora 3-pointer and a bucket by O'Connell.
Senior guard Brittany Parks propelled the Brewers to a 56-55 lead on a layup with 1:20 to play, but William Smith junior guard Sydni Salvatore banged home a big 3-pointer with 1:03 to play for a 58-56 Herons lead. In the final minute of play, the Brewers had three chances to tie the contest, but it wasn't until O'Connell's layup in the paint with six seconds remaining that the Brewers were able to knot the contest.
Although Vassar was able to surge ahead in the overtime, William Smith whittled its way back into the contest, securing its first lead at 66-64 after Bornstein's crucial 3-pointer.
On the strength of 12 first half points from sophomore guard Cydni Matsuoka, Vassar started the game on fire, building a 30-15 lead with 1:24 until halftime.
Matsuoka finished with 16 points, Tempora 13 and Parks 12. Both Matsuoka and O'Connell led the team with 10 rebounds.
William Smith, which was buoyed by a 31-16 lead in bench points, was led by Bornstein's 14 points and 11 from O'Brien.
GENEVA, NY (January 20, 2012) – Vassar College freshman Colleen O'Connell forced overtime by canning a jumper in the paint with six seconds to play, but William Smith junior Jamie Smith scored a big layup with 34 seconds left in overtime and the host Herons added two crucial free throws with 15 seconds remaining to defeat the Brewers, 70-68, in Liberty League play on Friday evening at Bristol Gym.
The Brewers seemed in control of the overtime. An O'Connell layup 1:20 into the period pushed Vassar ahead 64-60. But with 1:24 to play, Herons sophomore guard Sasha Bornstein drained a 3-pointer for a 66-64 lead, one that the hosts were able to maintain thanks to Rubin's jumper, which provided William Smith with a 68-64 lead with 34 seconds left. Vassar kept the game in reach when senior forward Kristyn Tempora cut the Herons lead to 68-66 with her own jumper. A subsequent Vassar foul sent William Smith sophomore guard Erin O'Brien to the free throw line, where she calmly canned two clutch free throws with 15 seconds left to secure the victory.
The game was a rematch of last year's Liberty League Championship, won by Vassar 84-73.
The loss drops the Brewers to 8-5, 2-2 in the Liberty League, while William Smith improves to 7-7 and 3-2 in league play. Vassar travels to Rochester Institute of Technology for a 2:00 p.m. game on Saturday. William Smith hosts Bard on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
Vassar, which led 30-21 at halftime and 32-21 just 14 seconds in the second half, saw William Smith mount a 13-2 run to tie the contest 34-34 with 12:42 to play in a half that had seven lead changes. The Herons surged ahead 52-47 with 4:28 left. Vassar tied the contest 52-52 on a Tempora 3-pointer and a bucket by O'Connell.
Senior guard Brittany Parks propelled the Brewers to a 56-55 lead on a layup with 1:20 to play, but William Smith junior guard Sydni Salvatore banged home a big 3-pointer with 1:03 to play for a 58-56 Herons lead. In the final minute of play, the Brewers had three chances to tie the contest, but it wasn't until O'Connell's layup in the paint with six seconds remaining that the Brewers were able to knot the contest.
Although Vassar was able to surge ahead in the overtime, William Smith whittled its way back into the contest, securing its first lead at 66-64 after Bornstein's crucial 3-pointer.
On the strength of 12 first half points from sophomore guard Cydni Matsuoka, Vassar started the game on fire, building a 30-15 lead with 1:24 until halftime.
Matsuoka finished with 16 points, Tempora 13 and Parks 12. Both Matsuoka and O'Connell led the team with 10 rebounds.
William Smith, which was buoyed by a 31-16 lead in bench points, was led by Bornstein's 14 points and 11 from O'Brien.