Bard women win first-ever Liberty League basketball game

Union got 18 points from sophomore Kate Thompson (Clinton, N.Y.) and at least two points apiece from 13 other players as the Dutchwomen emptied their bench in the second half. Union produced 27 assists and finished the game at 53 percent from the floor.

Bard got 17 points, eight rebounds, six steals and a block from Riley, who did it all in 29 minutes because of foul trouble. Sophomore Liz Freud (Dover, Del.) added 11 points, and junior Treyonna Frazier (Atlanta, Ga.) came off the bench to collect six rebounds in just 14 minutes.

And the third time was no charm, either.

Two-time defending champion Vassar College exploded for 51 points in the second half en route to a 79-53 victory over Bard on Jan. 8.

Bard went toe-to-toe with Vassar in the first half, limiting the Brewers to 36 percent from the field, and holding the league’s leading scorer, Cydni Matsuoka (Sacramento, Calif.) scoreless. It was 28-28 at the break.

But Vassar (8-1, 1-0) shot 61 percent in the second half and ran away with a victory. Sophomore Colleen O’Connell (Maywood, N.J.) scored 20 of her 26 points in the second half. Matsuoka was held to four points, but she contributed nine assists and eight rebounds.

Bard’s Riley had 19 points, 19 rebounds and five steals, and classmate Bell added 12 points and seven rebounds.

On Jan. 12, the team took on the St. Lawrence University women, who scored the first 11 points of the game and held Bard to six first-half points en route to a 49-34 victory.

The Raptors (7-7, 1-4 Liberty League) made just 2-of-22 from the field in the first half and committed 15 turnovers.

But the second half was a different story. Freshman guard Bell, who sat out the first half, sparked a rally that cut the deficit from 20 early in the second half, to eight with seven minutes remaining. Bell scored 10 points to spur the rally, but the Saints inserted their starters back into the game at that point, and pushed the lead back to 15. Bard didn’t get closer than eight in the second half.

St. Lawrence (9-3, 3-0 Liberty League) got 14 points and six rebounds from sophomore Kara McDuffie (Owego, N.Y.), and 11 points and six rebounds from junior Cassie St. Hilaire (Adams Center, N.Y.).

Bell led Bard with 10 points; Joanna Regan (Selden, N.Y.) played every minute and finished with nine points; and Riley had her toughest shooting game of the season, going 3-for-13 from the floor and finishing with eight points and 18 rebounds.

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