Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Sophomore Cydni Matsuoka scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Vassar College women's basketball team to a 56-51 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), in the Liberty League semifinals, this evening at East Campus Arena. With the win the Brewers improve to 17-9 overall and advance to the league championship game. The Engineers conclude their season at 16-10.

The Brewers will travel to St. Lawrence for the Liberty League championship game on Saturday (TBA).

After a tight first half in which Vassar held a one-point (30-29) lead, the team traded baskets until the 7:57 mark of the second, when Matsuoko (Sacramento, CA/John F. Kennedy) broke a 37-37 tie with a straight-away three-pointer. The Brewers never relinquished the lead thanks to solid free-throw shooting and time baskets inside.

A free-throw from RPI senior guard Sarah Wetmore (Sudbury, MA/Lincoln Sudbury Regional) knotted the game at 44-all with 6:15 to play, but Brewers' sophomore Hannah Senftleber (Burlington, VT/Burlington) gave the visitors the lead right back with a pair form the line.

Rensselaer senior Hillary McKinley (Quinebaug, CT/Tourtellotte Memorial) then hit two free-throws with 4:27 remaining to tie the game (48-48), but Vassar had the answer once again, as buckets from freshman Colleen O'Connell (Maywood, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) and Matsuoka made it 52-48, with 2:07 left.

McKinley then came through with a three-point play on the ensuing possession, when she finished with the left hand and drew a foul inside, but a lay-up by senior Brittany Parks (Escondido, CA/Escondido) and a Michaela Janowski (Stratham, PA/Shady Side Academy) free-throw sealed the win.

The Engineers jumped out to an early 15-7 lead, seven minutes into the contest. Wetmore scored 11 of those points and finished the first half with game-best 14 on 5 of 13 shooting from the floor.

Matsuoka kept the visitors in the game early, netting seven of the team's first 10 points and wound up with 13 at the break. Senior Kristyn Tempora (Marlboro, NJ/St. John Vianney) netted all eight of her points in the first-half to go along with four rebounds first-half. O'Connell capped off a late 12-2 run to give the Brewers a 30-29 halftime lead.

Wetmore finished with game-high 22 points for the Engineers. She also recorded eight rebounds and an assist. McKinley had nine points and a game-best 15 boards.