Vassar rallies to top Nazareth, 69-62

More news about: Nazareth

Visiting Vassar rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit Sunday to defeat Nazareth, 69-62, during the second day of the Onnie's Classic for women's basketball played at Nazareth's Kidera Gymnasium.

Vassar outscored the Golden Flyers 40-24 in the second half to gain its second win of the weekend. The Brewers also defeated Brockport 79-61 on Saturday. Nazareth slipped to 1-2 overall. The Golden Flyers rallied to defeat Keuka, 58-55, on Saturday.

Freshman Lindsey Kelly scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed six rebounds and represented Nazareth on the all-tournament team. Vassar's Cydni Matsuoka, a junior guard, scored a game-high 24 points for the second day in a row to make the all-tournament team for the Brewers. Freshman Caitlin Drakeley also made the all-tournament team for Vassar after contributing 10 points, five assists and five rebounds to Sunday's win.

Nazareth made 15 of 30 first-half shots, including three three-point baskets, and never trailed in the first half. Kelly scored 11 of her points in the first 20 minutes and senior Erica Shaw had 10 of her 16. Nazareth's led by as many of 12 points, 38-26, following a basket by Kelly with :52 left in the half. Matsuoka answered with a three-pointer for the Brewers with :35 left and Nazareth settled for a 38-29 advantage at the break.

In the second half, Nazareth didn't score until the half was more than five minutes old. By then, Vassar had caught up and took its first lead of the game, 39-38, on a jumper by Matsuoka with 15:30 left.

The game was tied five times after that, the final time at 59-59 with less than five minutes to play. Sophomore Maria Allocco completed a three-point play with 4:32 to go to give Nazareth a 62-59 advantage, but the Golden Flyers didn't score again.

Baskets by Hannah Senftleber, Delaney Fischer and Matsuoka pushed Vassar in front for good at 65-62 with 1:14 to go. Nyah Berg added a pair of free throws and Drakeley swished two more in the closing second to seal the win.

After shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half, Nazareth went just 8-for-34 (23.5 percent) in the second, including 2-for-12 from three-point range. In addition to Kelly and Shaw, Allocco added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds and sophomore Michelle Melanson scored eight points.

Vassar shot 43.3 percent (26-for-60) for the game and 15 for 18 (83.3 percent0 from the free-throw line. Colleen O'Connell added 12 points and seven rebounds.

Nazareth is off until after the Thanksgiving break. The Golden Flyers will compete in the annual Wendy's Classic, starting Nov. 27 with first-round games at St. John Fisher.