Drew women's basketball improved to 5-0 on the season with a 52-48 win at Vassar on Tuesday evening. The Rangers overcame a tough shooting night thanks to another outstanding defensive performance. Jessica DelVecchio led the Rangers with 16 points, including a clutch three late in the game, and came up with the key defensive play with a steal in the final minute. Kristyn Tempora had 19 for the Brewers. The Rangers are 5-0 to start the year for the second straight season.
The game was tied at 23-23 at the half. The teams traded leads four times in the period with neither squad leading by more than five points. It was DelVecchio's three-pointer with 23 seconds that deadlocked the game heading into the break.
After Tempora's layup gave the Brewers a 25-23 edge with the first bucket of the second period, Drew went on a run that would give the Rangers a lead they would hold for most of the second half. Jessica Reid's jumper off Danielle Barber's assist made it 25-25 with 18:37 left to play. DelVecchio then fed Reid for another jumper before Eden Blazovic scored on a fast break layup to give Drew a four point lead. Natalie Allen hit a free throw for the Brewers, but four straight points from Blazovic made it a seven point game. The first-year forward then found Kat Luby open for a three that the sophomore buried to cap the 13-1 run.
Drew still held a nine point lead after Barber's jumper with 8:58 left in the game, but Vassar would chip away at the lead to make it a one possession game in the final minute of play. Six straight free throws from the hosts offset another jumper by Barber. Allen's layup off Tempora's assist made it a one point game, 43-42, with 4:45 left. DelVecchio hit the first of her key long balls with a three on the next Ranger possession.
Three more foul shots from the Brewers made it a one point game again, 46-45, two minutes later and Emily Haeuser's three point play with 1:58 left gave the Brewers their first lead since the first minute of play in the half.
Down by two with 1:50 left to play, the Rangers turned to their senior for the big bucket. Barber found DelVecchio open behind the arc where she drilled the triple for a 49-48 Ranger lead. Drew forced Vassar into a tough shot on the next possession, but missed a three of its own at the other end. The Brewers had the ball entering the final minute of play with a chance to take the lead, but JDV came up with the steal for the defensive stop.
Vassar had another chance, but Jessica Reid grabbed the rebound off Tempora's second attempt before the Brewers were forced to foul Barber. The sophomore calmly hit both to make it a three point game with 16 seconds left.
In the Brewers final attempt at forcing overtime, the Rangers didn't let them even get a shot off as Vassar turned the ball over just five seconds into its possession. Barber hit one of two free throws to secure the victory, 52-48.
Along with her 16 points, DelVecchio had five boards, two assists and two steals. Barber overcame her worst shooting night with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Blazovic had another nice game with eight points on 3-3 shooting and a pair of blocked shots. Reid had six and five in 27 minutes of play.
Tempora lead all scorers with 19 points and ten rebounds while Haeuser had 13 and seven. Vassar had been averaging 66 points per game.
Drew will look to improve to 6-0, just like last season, after a long break. Drew doesn't get back into action until it travels to USMMA on December 5th.
Newspaper Box Score
Drew Rangers vs VASSAR
11/24/09 7:00 pm at Poughkeepsie, NY
At Poughkeepsie, NY
DREW RANGERS 52, VASSAR 48
DREW RANGERS (5-0)
Jessica DelVecchio 6-12 0-2 16; Danielle Barber 3-19 7-10 13; Katherine Luby
3-10 0-0 9; Eden Blazovic 3-3 2-2 8; Jessica Reid 3-3 0-2 6; Ashley Logan
0-1 0-0 0; Britta Olsen 0-1 0-2 0; Victoria Ault 0-0 0-0 0; Jen Mateo 0-1
0-0 0; Rebecca Smith 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-51 9-18 52.
VASSAR (2-2)
Kristyn Tempora 7-16 5-10 19; Emily Haeuser 3-12 7-9 13; Brittany Parks 3-11
0-0 6; Natalie Allen 1-2 3-4 5; O. Westbrook-Gold 1-8 1-2 3; Tori Chaltain
0-3 2-2 2; Carolyn Crampton 0-2 0-0 0; Anielle Fredman 0-2 0-0 0. Totals
15-56 18-27 48.
Drew Rangers.................. 23 29 - 52
VASSAR........................ 23 25 - 48
3-point goals--Drew Rangers 7-22 (Jessica DelVecchio 4-8; Katherine Luby
3-6; Ashley Logan 0-1; Danielle Barber 0-7), VASSAR 0-9 (Kristyn Tempora
0-3; Brittany Parks 0-2; O. Westbrook-Gold 0-2; Carolyn Crampton 0-1;
Anielle Fredman 0-1). Fouled out--Drew Rangers-Rebecca Smith, VASSAR-None.
Rebounds--Drew Rangers 36 (Danielle Barber 7), VASSAR 46 (Kristyn Tempora
10). Assists--Drew Rangers 11 (Danielle Barber 4), VASSAR 12 (Caroly
Crampton 4). Total fouls--Drew Rangers 18, VASSAR 18. Technical fouls--Drew
Rangers-None, VASSAR-None. A-85
