Blue Basketball Drops Season Opener to Vassar

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- The Wellesley College basketball team suffered a 55-41 loss at the hands of Vassar on Friday evening at the Vassar College Tip-Off Tournament. The game served as the season-opener for both squads.

The Brewers shot 50% in the second half, turning a one-point halftime lead until a 14-point victory. Wellesley, meanwhile, shot just 22% in the second, while the Blue were out-rebounded 22-12 in the period.

Wellesley jumped out to an early 6-2 lead, backed by four points from Chelsi Scott. Vassar battled back to tie the game at 11-11, and neither team led by more than two points, until Scott gave the Blue a 24-20 advantage with a pair of free throws with 3:23 to play. The Brewers responded with with the next five points of the game, finishing the half with a Rose Serafini lay-up to make it 25-24 at the break.

For the Blue, Scott and Leslie Leong each had eight first-half points to go along with three boards. Vassar's Cydni Matsuoka led all players with nine points at the break, while also racking up five assists. 

Vassar began to pull away early in the second half, recording the first eight points of the frame to go ahead 33-24. Their run spanned nearly nine minutes and was broken up by a Morgyne Weaver lay-up with 11:16 left in the game. 

After a Nyah Berg bucket for Vassar, Weaver hit a jumper at 9:52 that made it 37-28 with 9:52 to play. The hosts increased the lead back to 11, before a Leong free-throw and a Meghan Sargent jumper cut the Vassar advantage to eight points at 39-31 with 7:46 remaining. 

Vassar continued their hot shooting, going up by 15 (46-31) after three points from Michelle Foreman and a lay-up from Zoe Walker with under five to play. Wellesley cut the lead to 13 points (46-33) on a Weaver jump shot, but the Blue would get no closer and Vassar closed out the 55-41 victory.

Leong finished with 11 points, six boards, and three steals for the Blue while Weaver recorded an eight-point, six-rebound effort. Scott and Sargent each finished with eight points for Wellesley, while Katie Shulenberger had five boards, three steals and a pair of assists. 

Vassar's Caitlyn Drakeley led all players with 14 points and 11 rebounds, recording a double-double. Matsuoka finished with 11 points and nine assists, while Hannah Senftleber recorded 10 points in the win. 

Wellesley will play in the consolation game tomorrow at 2:00pm, taking on Plymouth State. Vassar moves on to the championship game and will play Brooklyn College at 4:00pm.