NEW YORK, NY (December 6, 2011) – Down 67-66 with :37 seconds to play, sophomore guard Cydni Matsuoka made a big steal and four seconds later drained a huge jumper for a 68-67 lead, propelling the Vassar College women's basketball team to a come-from-behind 69-67 victory over Hunter College at the Sportsplex on Tuesday evening.

The host Hawks threatened to remove the Brewers from the unbeaten ranks, earning a 37-36 lead at halftime and in a back-and-forth second half, taking a 64-60 lead with 3:12 to play before Matsuoka and the Brewers claimed the narrow victory thanks to two straight jumpers down the stretch by the sophomore guard.

The victory improves Vassar to 5-0. Hunter drops to 3-4. The Brewers next host Elmira College at the AFC on December 9 at 3:00 p.m. Hunter travels to Old Westbury on Saturday for a 7:00 p.m. game.

"It came down to the wire and it was a good test of our character," said head coach Candice Brown. "It was the first test we have had this season. Cydni is a great anticipator on defense. After a Hunter timeout, we doubled the ball on the sideline and Cydni got the ball and was able to hit the short jumper for the win."

Hunter led by as many as five points three times in a second half that was tied four times. Hunter led for the first 7:58 of the second half, and the Brewers tied the game for the first time at 48-48 with 12:32 to play off a jumper by sophomore Anielle Fredhman.

Matsuoka scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half and was responsible for connecting on a key jumper with 2:35 to tie the game at 64-64, then with 1:24 to play (to cut Hunter's lead to 67-66) and the eventual game with 33 seconds to play for a 68-67 Vassar lead Senior forward Kristyn Tempora made one of two free throws with six seconds to play and finished with seven points and five rebounds.

Behind the play of sophomore forward Kristen Markoe, who scored a game-high 21 points and added nine rebounds, Hunter built 64-60 lead with 3:12 to play, building that margin off a layup by sophomore forward Alease Vaughan, who had 17 points. Then, the Brewers mounted their comeback, getting two free throws from senior guard Brittany Parks and the subsequent heroics from Matsuoka.

Parks led the Brewers with 20 points, earning 10 of those on perfect shooting from the free throw line. She added eight rebounds to her effort. After a slow start, Matsuoka shot 5 of 8 from the field in the second half, for 15 points with six rebounds. Freshman forward Colleen O'Connell played a superb first half, with 10 points and three rebounds – which kept the Brewers within striking distance – and finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, her second double-double of the season.