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POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – For the first time since joining the Liberty League in 2000, the Vassar College women's basketball team has started the season 3-0. Behind a dominating 23-point, 11-rebound performance from freshman forward Hannah Senftleber, the Brewers led from start to finish in registering a 71-60 victory over Rensselaer Tuesday night at the Athletics & Fitness Center.

In earning her sixth double-double of the season and third straight, Senftleber scored all 12 of her second half points in the first 9:37 of action, including seven of Vassar's first nine points. Her final points of the half, all on free throws, pushed Vassar into a 52-38 lead with 11:23 to play

Winners of five straight games, the Brewers (8-5, 3-0) will next host William Smith on January 21 at 6:00 pm and Hamilton College on January 22 at 2:00 pm. RPI (6-8, 2-1) will host Hamilton on January 21 and William Smith on January 22.

The Brewers essentially won the contest with a breakout first half, one that saw the Liberty League's best defensive team against the 3-point shot force RPI into an 0-9 effort from long distance and force 11 turnovers, of which 13 points were scored. Conversely, the Brewers were efficient in their offense, converting 11 of 12 free throws, and getting 32 of their 36 first half points from Senftleber (11), freshman guard Cydni Matsuoka (11) and junior guard Brittany Parks (10).

The game was tied only once, 2-2 with 17:50 to play, and from that point, the Brewers took control, never relinquishing their lead and building it to a 17-point margin, 36-19 at halftime. Within the first 38 seconds of the second half, Senftleber converted on an old-fashioned 3-point play to extend Vassar's lead to 39-19, forcing RPI into catch-up mode.

After being down 20 points, the Engineers valiantly shot their way back into the game, with six of their 16 second half baskets coming on 3-point shots and an improved 6 of 15 from long distance. RPI closed the Vassar lead by going on a 16-6 run in a 3:30 span of the second stanza, coming within 45-37 with 15:04 to play following a jumper by senior guard Linda Larsen.

During this stretch, three of RPI's baskets came from 3-point distance, but Vassar weathered the barrage, particularly on the offensive end, where RPI held a 22-7 advantage in offensive rebounds and converted on 20 second chance points in the game.

Thanks to a bench that outscored RPI 17-6, the Brewers built their lead back to double figures (52-38) with a layup from Parks and four points courtesy of a Senftleber layup and two free throws.

Vassar built a 65-48 lead with 7:30 to play following a 3-pointer from Matsuoka, and while the Engineers were able to cut the Brewers lead to 65-56 following a 3-pointer from senior guard Allison Connor with 3:31 to play, Vassar was firmly in command of the game, especially defensively. RPI went the final 6:07 of the game with just two baskets, one from junior guard Laura Easterling and the other from Larsen, at the end of the game.

Parks scored 19 points for the Brewers, her 12th game in double figures this season and contributed five assists. Matsuoka tallied 14 points. Senior guard Carolyn Crampton had 10 rebounds, her second double digit outing in the last three games.

RPI got 17 points from Larsen, 11 from Connor and 10 from junior guard Sarah Wetmore, who came into the game as the Liberty League's third leading scorer at 17 points a game. Junior forward Hillary McKinley came off the bench to lead all rebounders with 12.