Revitalized for spring, Vassar Brewers return to action

While most Vassar students enjoyed nearly a month away from Poughkeepsie to relax and recuperate for the upcoming semester, a prominent minority returned early to practice their sport and represent the College in interscholastic competition.

The women's basketball team traveled to Daytona Beach, Fla. for the Land of the Magic Tournament at the end of December. On Dec. 28, the Brewers dropped a 73-68 loss to Marywood University, despite 20 points from Captain Cydni Matsuoka '14. The loss marked the Brewers' first of the season. The squad next faced Kean University in a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament first round contest that Kean won 80-49. This year, behind 18 points and 15 rebounds from Kristyn Tempora '12, the Brewers kept the game close, trailing by just two with under four minutes remaining. However, Vassar could not surge for the victory and Kean held on for the 69-64 win.

Following its Florida trip, the team began Liberty League play on Jan. 6 with a trip to Skidmore College. Despite holding a 29-28 halftime lead, the Brewers were outscored by 17 in the second half, for a 67-51 final score. Matsuoka registered 13 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. The next day Vassar rallied for a 61-58 win at Union College to pull to 1-1 in Liberty League play. Matsuoka keyed the victory with 25 points and 12 rebounds, including the final four points. With Vassar trailing by one, the sophomore guard stole the ball with 55 seconds remaining, and quickly converted a lay-up to put her team up one. After the Brewers' defense twice held firm, she converted two free throws with one second left to register the final margin.

After a 78-18 thumping of Bard College that saw 12 Brewers find the bottom of the net, and a 67-55 non-conference loss to Hartwick College, Vassar dropped a close 70-68 overtime loss to William Smith College. Matsuoka once again led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Colleen O'Connell '15 forced overtime with six seconds remaining when she nailed a short jumper in the paint. In the extra period, Vassar jumped out to an early four-point lead; however, William Smith rallied and went on a 10-0 run and eventually held on for the two-point victory, evening Vassar's Liberty League record at 2-2 in the process. The next day, Matsuoka again paced the offense with 18 points as Vassar defeated Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) 73-51.

This past Tuesday the team dropped back to .500 with a 74-59 loss to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Matsuoka led the way with 17 points and nine rebounds, but it was not enough for the Brewers to overcome a 19-3 run they surrendered at the start.

The men's basketball team returned from break with a 93-70 loss at the hands of Wheaton College on Jan. 3 and a Liberty League-opening 71-50 loss to Skidmore on Jan. 6. However, the Brewers rebounded, pulling back to .500 in conference play with a 72-67 victory over Union. Despite trailing by nine points at the half, and as many as 16 in the second half, Vassar went on an 11-0 run in under four minutes to narrow the margin. After a series of mini-runs evened the game, this week's Miscellany News Athlete of the Week Captain Ethan Shanley '12 put the Brewers up for good, sinking a pair of free throws with just over one minute to play. Shanley led all scorers with 18 points.

Seeking to improve to 2-1 in the Liberty League, Vassar hosted Bard the following Tuesday. Once again, a valiant comeback kept the Brewers in the game; although Vassar trailed by 11 with 7:19 to play, and seven with 3:34 to play, a 7-0 Brewers run—capped by a three-pointer from Jon Herzog '13 with 25 seconds left—tied the score. Bard answered back with a pair of free throws with just three seconds remaining, cementing their 59-57 victory.

The team then took a game off from Liberty League play, losing 91-83 to St. Joseph's College, despite 33 points from Johnny Mrlik '15. This past weekend, the Brewers traveled to Hobart College where they had no answer for the league leader's stymieing defense in a 72-40 loss that saw no Vassar player reach double-digit points. Once again, though, the team was able to rebound with a 73-63 win over RIT to pull to 2-3 in the Liberty League.

A Vassar loss to RPI, 104-91, this past Tuesday dropped the team to 2-4. Shanley once again led the team, recording a career-high 31 points in the loss.

This past weekend, the No. 15 Vassar men's volleyball team opened their season. The Brewers traveled to Ramapo College for a tri-match featuring the host and Philadelphia Biblical University. In their first match, Vassar was knocked off by Ramapo, 1-3 (23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 25-15). Charlie Caldwell '13 led the way for Vassar with a career-high 16 kills. In the second match of the day, the Brewers cruised to a decisive sweep of the No. 14 ranked Crimson Eagles, 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-23). In the first set the Brewers hit 50 percent displaying a potent attack, while their defense held Philadelphia Biblical to negative attacking percentages in each of the first two sets.

Both men's and women's swimming and diving teams returned to action against Trinity College, where the men were overcome 163-131 while the women were defeated 178-114. The men then took fifth place out of eight teams at the Kumpf Invitational on Jan. 14, before losing narrowly to Montclair State University 118-107.

Meanwhile, the women's team was practicing for the Seven Sisters Championship this past weekend. Although Vassar put up a strong effort at the meet, they were unable to dethrone Wellesley College who won its 15th straight championship. The Brewers finished second behind the Blues (1,229 points) with 796 points, ahead of third place Mount Holyoke College (637). The star of the meet for Vassar was unquestionably Caroline Shannon '12. In the 200 IM, Shannon set a new Seven Sisters record (2:14.58) and was named to the All-Seven sisters team for that race as well as the 400 IM. Captain Amelia Couture '12 likewise had a record setting day, as her 339.55 in the 1-meter diving event set a new school record, breaking the mark previously established by classmate Christie Musket '12 (327.50).

The men's and women's squash teams returned to action this past weekend at the Pioneer Valley Open. The men were swept in two matches by No. 20 Colby College and No. 26 Hobart, while the women lost 8-1 to No. 22 Colby and 9-0 to No. 17 Franklin and Marshall College.