For Immediate Release – 1/7/14 - #141

Pemberton Sinks Game Winner Lifting Vassar Women To 67-65 Win Over Hartwick

                  POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 7, 2014) – Junior guard Allyson Pemberton (Weston, MA/Weston) hit the biggest shot of her Vassar College career Tuesday evening, sinking a jumper with .8 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Brewer women past Hartwick College 67-65 in non-conference play from the Athletics and Fitness Center.

                  The second half of Tuesday night's ballgame was as exciting as it gets for collegiate hoops, as the two squads exchanged leads eight times, adding six ties as well. Vassar (7-2) led by as many as six points five times in the early going of the second half, but Hartwick (8-3) rallied to take its first advantage of the game at 49-48 after a jumper from Alicia Razanousky with 10:27 to play.

                  The two squads would play hot potato with the lead over the next seven minutes before VC took a three-point edge at 65-62 after a jumper from Pemberton. With under 30 seconds to play and possessing the ball, the Hawks knotted the game as Maria Foglia converted a three-point play with eight seconds left to make the score 65-65.

                  After a Brewer timeout, and with most of the gym assuming All-American guard Cydni Matsuoka (Sacramento, CA/John F. Kennedy) would take the ensuing shot, she instead drove and dished to Pemberton on the left wing. Pemberton calmly stepped into her 14-foot shot and hit nothing but net to lift the Brewers to victory.

                  The early going of the first half was much like the second half, with neither team being able to take much of a lead. Late in the period and with the Brewers up 24-22, VC chalked up nine straight points to post the game's largest lead at 11 following a fast break lay-up from Matsuoka. Hartwick closed to within seven to end the period, sending the Brewers into the locker room with a 34-27 lead.

                  Matsuoka led all Brewer scorers with 16 points, as she made six of her 10 attempted field goals. The senior point guard also added 10 assists, notching her first double-double since February 13, 2013 at Union College when she posted 23 points and 11 helpers. Fellow senior Hannah Senftleber (Burlington, VT/Burlington) had 11 points and eight rebounds, while Pemberton chalked up her second career double-digit output with 10 points.

                  Every dressed Brewer netted at least a field goal, as Caitlin Drakeley (Woodbury, CT/Nonnewaug) posted eight points and eight boards. Junior Nyah Berg (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury) came off the bench to score nine points and Rose Serafini (Milton, Ontario, Canada/Milton Area) had six boards, four caroms and a block.

                 Vassar shot 26-of-57 (45.6 percent) from the field, making 54.5 percent (6-11) from behind the arc. The Brewers also were solid from the free throw stripe, nailing 9-of-11 from the line. VC also outrebounded the Hawks 36-31.

                  Brittany Dumas and her 16-point, nine-rebound performance paced Hartwick, making 8-of-16 field goals. Foglia had 15 points, and Taylor Vonasek and Lee Arduini each added 11 points. The Hawks outscored Vassar 19-6 on second-chance points Tuesday.

                  The Brewers are done with non-conference play and will open their Liberty League slate Friday night at Skidmore College at 6 p.m. in action from Saratoga Springs, NY.

--VASSAR--