Box Score Box Score

MIDDLETOWN, CT (December 3, 2010) – With the game tied 39-39 with 16:43 remaining, Bridgewater State College went on an 8-0 run in just under two minutes, creating an eight-point buffer that the Vassar College women's basketball team could never crack, and the Bears stayed unbeaten with a 72-64 victory over the Brewers at the Wesleyan College Invitational on Friday evening at Silloway Gym.

Trailing 47-39 with just under 15 minutes to play, the Brewers played furiously in catch-up mode, but never got closer than three points – 59-56 following a layup by freshman forward Hannah Senftleber with 4:27 to play. Bridgewater State had an answer for every Vassar comeback attempt – in this case three straight baskets after a single Senftleber free throw – to take a 68-57 lead with 2:23 to play. The nine point deficit and time left on the clock were insurmountable for the Brewers.

Vassar drops to 2-4 on the season and will play Keystone College, a 71-29 loser to Wesleyan in the opening game, on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Bridgewater State improves to 5-0 and plays in the championship game at 3:00 p.m.

While the Brewers came out of halftime with a vengeance, getting a 3-pointer from senior guard Carolyn Crampton, and jumpers from freshman guard Cydni Matsuoka and junior guard Brittany Parks to take a brief 39-37 lead, Vassar didn't have that same firepower necessary in the final 2:23 of the game to draw even.

A 3-pointer by Parks brought the Brewers within 68-62 with 1:31 to play, but the Bears got scoring from 9 of its 11 players who logged minutes, to ensure the victory.

After falling behind by four points early in the game, Vassar took control of the first half, albeit for the last three minutes, after back-to-back 3-pointers from Matsuoka, who had 12 first half points, and sophomore guard Ali Higgins put the Brewers ahead 12-8. Vassar held two six-point leads in the first half, the first at 16-10 (12:26) following a layup from freshman forward Victoria Morgan and the last with 9:04 remaining after another Matsuoka bucket.

Aided by a defense that held Bridgewater State scoreless for a 4:59 spell of the first half and defended the perimeter in limiting the Bears to 2-for-10 shooting from 3-point range, Vassar held a 28-24 lead with 2:42 to play following a Matsuoka 3-pointer. The Bears reversed the game's course, however, going on a 7-0 run to take a 31-28 lead, getting only their second 3-pointer of the half from sophomore guard Ciara Shaughnessy. Bridgewater went into intermission leading 33-30 on a jumper with 3 seconds left by senior guard Brittney Chappron.

Matsuoka led the Brewers with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Parks contributed 17 points and seven rebounds. Crampton had her best offensive game of the season with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting and Senftleber led the Brewers in rebounding with eight in the game.

Junior forward Shelly DePina led Bridgewater State in scoring and rebounding with 16 points and eight rebounds. Junior forward Monica Bharoocha had 14 points.