TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team shook off a slow start and steadily asserted control, pulling away from Vassar for a 57–39 Liberty League victory this afternoon inside ECAV Arena.

Sophie Costello led all scorers with 17 points on an efficient 8-for-11 shooting effort, while Niamh Gendron posted a strong all-around performance with nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds as the Engineers improved to 15–6 overall and 10–4 in conference play.

Vassar opened the game hot, converting seven of its first nine shots to grab an early edge, but RPI weathered the surge and closed the first quarter on a run highlighted by back-to-back transition layups from Costello and Brooke Boyle to trim the margin to 18–10.

The Engineers flipped the script in the second period, ramping up their defensive pressure and forcing a series of turnovers that fueled an 18–7 quarter. Gendron ignited the comeback with a three-pointer early in the frame, Sydney Blaney followed with a wing triple, and Tyler Hormazabal capped the rally by finishing through traffic to give RPI its first lead at 22–20. A late bucket from Siena Smith pushed the Engineers into halftime in front, 28–25.


RPI seized control coming out of the locker room. Smith drilled a pair of jumpers and dished out assists in transition, Hormazabal converted multiple fast-break chances off steals, and Boyle knocked down a timely three as the Engineers outscored the Brewers 15–11 in the third to stretch the lead to 43–36.

Any remaining doubt was erased in the fourth, as RPI's defense clamped down and held Vassar to just three points in the final ten minutes. Costello repeatedly got downhill for layups, Smith buried a late three, and the Engineers closed on a 14–3 run to seal the 57–39 decision.

Smith totaled eight points, four assists, and a pair of steals. Hormazabal chipped in eight points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals, and Boyle finished with seven points and three steals. The Engineers limited Vassar to 0-for-5 shooting from three and 10.0 percent from the field in the fourth quarter.

RPI will continue its push towards the conference playoffs with home matchups against RIT and Ithaca next weekend.