Annandale-on-Hudson, NY – The Vassar College Women's Basketball team improved its winning streak to 15 games on Saturday afternoon, cruising past Bard by a score of 73-35. Naiya Kurnik (Fallbrook, CA) led the scoring attack for the Brewers with 15 points.

Vassar improves to 16-1 overall on the season and to 10-0 in Liberty League play, while Bard drops to 4-12 overall and 0-10 in conference competition. Saturday's win also marks the 28^th straight victory over the Raptors since the start of the 1995-96 season.

First Half

• After trailing briefly 1-0 in the opening moments on Saturday, Vassar scored 12 straight points, highlighted by a triple from Sam Lederman (East Brunswick, NJ) and a pair of treys from Sierra McDermed (San Antonio, TX), to surge in front 12-1.
• Two Caroline Siekman (Islesboro, ME) free-throws pushed the Brewers in front 19-4 with 2:33 left in the first quarter before Vassar finished the opening 10 minutes with a 19-9 lead.
• Vassar shot just 27.8-percent from the field in the first period, but went 3-for-6 from behind the arc and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line.
• Bard closed its disadvantage to 19-11 early in the second period, before a 10-2 stretch from the Brewers, capped by a McDermed jumper, pushed Vassar in front 29-13.
• The Vassar advantage grew to 35-15 on a Maddie Ahearn (Bethlehem, PA) four-point play late in the second period.
• Tash Thompson (Los Altos Hills, CA) sent the Brewers into the intermission leading 42-15 with a layup with 16 seconds left in the frame.
• Vassar shot an even 45-percent from the field in the second stanza and finished the first half converting at 36.8-percent.
• The Brewers knocked down five three-pointers over the first two quarters and went 9-for-10 from the free-throw line.
• Bard was held to 24-percent shooting in the first half and went 0-for-6 from behind the arc and 3-for-8 from the free-throw line.

Second Half

• A Kurnik three-pointer opened the third quarter scoring and pushed the Brewers in front 45-15.
• The third quarter lead surged to 38 points three times, including on a Siekman layup with 1:09 left in the frame.
• Vassar would not allow Bard to get closer than 29 points in the fourth period and matched the game-high lead of 38 points twice in the frame.
• Siekman pushed the Brewers in front 60-22 with a conversion in the first half minute of the fourth quarter.
• Ava Gurley (Austin, TX) closed out the scoring in the game with 21 seconds left, converting a layup to give Vassar the final 73-35 decision.
• Vassar shot 32.4-percent after halftime, but connected on six more three-pointers.
• Bard converted at 28-percent in the second half and went 1-for-6 from behind the arc.

For The Brewers

• Vassar saw 14 different players find the scoring column in the victory.
• Kurnik matched the game-high with 15 points, going 4-for-7 from the field, with a pair of triples, and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. Kurnik added two rebounds, an assist and a block.
• McDermed contributed 13 points, going an efficient 5-for-6 from the floor and 3-for-4 from three-point range.
• Siekman led the team with nine rebounds and chipped in eight points.
• Tova Gelb (Sharon, MA) hauled in eight caroms, handed out three assists and scored five points.
• Julia Harvey (Delmar, NY) scored five points and collected five rebounds.
• Ashley Mostrom (Germantown, MD) handed out three assists and scored three points.
• Mo Regan (Oak Lawn, IL) swiped five steals, secured five rebounds and added a pair of assists.

For The Raptors

• Lexi Miller equaled the game-high in scoring with 15 points and closed a double-double with a game-high 17 rebounds.
• Aislynn Dixon scored eight points.
• Shirley Dong scored five points, swiped three steals and collected three rebounds.

Game Statistics

• Vassar shot 34.7-percent for the game and knocked in 11 three-pointers, marking the second time this season it has connected on double-figure triples.
• Bard was held to 26-percent overall and finished 1-for-12 from three-point range.
• Vassar forced 18 Bard turnovers leading to a 21-9 edge on points off of miscues.
• The Brewers secured 26 offensive rebounds and finished with 25 second chance points.
• Vassar outscored Bard 26-16 in the paint.

What's Next

• Vassar heads to the North Country next weekend and will open the trip at Clarkson on January 26.
• Bard heads north as well and will tussle with St. Lawrence on Friday.