Quick Start Leads St. Lawrence Past Vassar Women's Basketball, 70-62

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Brittany Parks
Senior guard Brittany Parks had 15 points.
Box Score

CANTON, NY (February 11, 2012) – St. Lawrence exploded out of the gate with an early 19-3 lead, but the Vassar College women's basketball team remained poised and worked its way back into the game taking a brief 33-32 lead late in the first half, but the host Saints had enough firepower to hold off the Brewers for a 70-62 victory in Liberty League play on Saturday afternoon at Burkman Gymnasium.

Facing an early 16 point first half deficit, the Brewers capitalized on scorching 3-point shooting (5-for-7, 71.4 percent) to go on a massive run and take their first – and only – lead of the game at 33-32 with 2:24 following a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Cyndi Matsuoka. The Brewers whittled down the Saints lead and trailed 34-33 at halftime, but were never able to either tie or take a lead in the second half. Vassar came within two points twice in the second half and three points at 52-49 with 7:28 remaining.

The loss drops Vassar to 13-9, 7-6 in league play, while St. Lawrence improves to a 19-4 and a perfect 15-0 in the league. The Brewers remain in a fourth place tie with Skidmore, a 61-60 loser to RIT on Saturday, in the Liberty League. Vassar next travels to Bard on February 14 for a 6:00 p.m. contest, while St. Lawrence hosts Skidmore on February 14 at 6:00 p.m.

Two free throws from freshman forward Colleen O'Connell brought the Brewers within 52-49 with 7:28 to play. The Saints responded, however, and built a 58-49 lead following a layup by freshman guard Kara McDuffee. The Brewers went scoreless, though, over the next 2:21 until an O'Connell jumper made the score 59-51.

Over the final 4:28 of the game, Vassar was only able to cut the St. Lawrence lead to six points on four occasions, the last meaningful time came with 56 seconds to play when senior guard Brittany Parks converted an old-fashioned three point play to close the gap to 66-60. The Saints scored their final four points on a layup by sophomore forward Kelly Legg and two free throws from senior guard Katie Edgerton. That duo combined for 38 of St. Lawrence's 70 points with Legg tallying 20 points and Edgerton 18.

A 13-point first half performance by Matsuoka, which included 3-of-4 from long distance, brought the Brewers back into the game after St. Lawrence's robust start. Matsuoka was held to just a single basket in the second half. O'Connell helped pick up the scoring with eight of her 10 points.

St. Lawrence's quick 19-3 burst, with eight of the points coming from Legg and Edgerton, put Vassar in catch-up mode the entire game. But with Matsuoka, Parks, O'Connell, senior forward Kristyn Tempora and sophomore forward Hannah Senftleber all contributing offensively, the Brewers were able to take a short-lived lead. A Tempora 3-pointer to start the second half cut the Saints lead to 37-36, but it would be the closest Vassar would come.

Matsuoka and Parks each scored 15 points. Tempora and O'Connell each had 10 points. O'Connell had a game-high 12 rebounds.

In addition to her 20 points, Legg had 11 rebounds for St. Lawrence.