William Smith (17-5, 10-3) jumped out to an early lead in overtime thanks to senior Erin O'Brien's 3-pointer on the first possession. She logged 12 points and six assists.
 
Vassar (16-4, 9-2) came back with the next six points and held the lead through the middle of the period. Senior Cydni Matsuoka made a step-back jumper at the 2:00 minute mark to give the Brewers a 72-69 lead. She finished with a double-double on 19 points and 10 assists.
 
The Herons cut their deficit to one on senior Jacqueline Murphy's layup at 1:47. Vassar missed its next shot, but grabbed the offensive board, only to have junior Ali Pliszka tie up the rebounder for a jump ball, with the possession arrow in William Smith's favor. Junior Chloe Hayter gave the Herons the lead on a layup at 1:09. She also finished with a double-double on 19 points and 10 rebounds as well as four blocked shots.
 
Pliszka again got the ball back for William Smith on the defensive end, blocking a shot and grabbing the rebound. Patterson put the final points on the board with 28 seconds to go for a 75-72 lead. The first-year was 9-of-12 from the floor, 1-for-1 from beyond the arc, and 5-of-6 from the line.
 
The Brewers got off three shots in the final 11 seconds, but all were off the mark. The last, a 3-point try by Caitlin Drakeley, rimmed out to give the Herons their second overtime win this week. William Smith beat RIT on Tuesday 79-74 in OT.
 
Drakeley registered 18 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The entire game was as close as one would expect between two Liberty League title hopefuls. Neither team led by more than five points. In the first half, William Smith shot better from the floor percentage-wise (33.3%-31.6%), but Vassar had more chances, thanks to 10 offensive rebounds. The Brewers took a 29-26 lead into the break. Vassar's Hannah Senftleber and Cydni Matsuoka led all scorers with eight points apiece at the break.
 
The second half played out much the same as overtime with neither team leading by more than three. Patterson put the Herons up 59-57 with 4:38 left in regulation. Matsuoka made a 3-pointer with 2:57 left to put the Brewers in front at 2:57 and added a jumper at 2:28 to make it a 3-point game. Senftleber fouled out with 68 seconds left, finishing with 16 points and seven boards.
 
William Smith tied the game with 53 seconds left in the second half on Pliszka's third trey of the night. She recorded 11 points. Vassar missed a layup and Murphy (5 pts, 9 rebs) grabbed the rebound to give the home team the final shot at winning in regulation, but the Herons missed two at the line and a 3 at the buzzer was blocked by Allyson Pemberton, sending the game into OT.
 
William Smith will host Clarkson at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 for its next contest, while Vassar will return home to take on Skidmore also at 6 p.m. next Friday.