ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team returned to Ben Light Gymnasium on Friday evening opening up Liberty League conference action by hosting (RV) Vassar College. The Bombers played much better than earlier in the week when they suffered a non-conference loss to Rochester and were rewarded with a 75-69 victory over Vassar who have been receiving votes in the national polls.
The Bombers got on the scoreboard first with
Elizabeth Majka converting on a layup under the basket that was assisted by
Emma Waite. Vassar answered on the other end of the floor with a 3-pointer from Tova Gelb that made it 3-2. Ithaca continued to display good ball movement and were again rewarded with an easy basket, this time from
Anya Watkins that put them up 6-5. The Brewers gained their first lead at 8-7 with a Julia Harvey layup.
Jillian Payne knocked down a transition trey that was assisted by
Tori Drevna that once again tied it up at 10-10. Neither team shot particularly well down the closing three minutes of the quarter, but the Brewers carried a 19-10 lead into the second quarter.
Anya Watkins opened the second quarter converting an and-one and
Madison Gill knocked down a jumper in the paint to cut the deficit to four (19-15). Ithaca continued its stingy defense and forced the visitors into a timeout just under two minutes into the quarter after a fast break
Emma Waite layup. Another outstanding pass, this time from Watkins led to Majka tying it up at 21-21 with 6:29 left in the period. The teams would then trade baskets over the course of the next four or so minutes with Ithaca gaining a 29-27 advantage after
Jillian Payne knocked down 1-of-2 from the free throw line. Maureen Regan knocked down a trey for the Brewers with under a minute remaining that gave them the lead again at 32-31, which they carried into halftime.
The second half again began with the Bombers scoring first, utilizing good ball movement with
Elizabeth Majka knocking down a jumper in the paint that was assisted by
Madison Gill. The Brewers then went on a 7-0 run to regain the lead at 39-33. That was quickly answered by four-straight from the Bombers, but Seirra McDermed knocked down a 3-pointer that was followed by a Tova Gelb layup and a Maureen Regan jumper forced an IC timeout with them trailing 46-37. The final three minutes of the third saw the Bombers get hot hitting three 3-pointers, two from
Emma Waite with
Jillian Payne knocking down the other and a fast break layup from Waite gave Ithaca a 48-46 lead as the quarter expired.
A huge fast break and-one was converted by Ithaca's
Elizabeth Majka giving IC its largest lead of the game at 53-47 with 7:50 remaining. The Brewers immediately went on a 6-0 run to tie it up, but Ithaca responded with another clutch 3-pointer that was netted by Majka (56-55). Gill would knock down consecutive shots from downtown that gave Ithaca a 62-55 lead and forced a Vassar timeout with 4:40 remaining. Ithaca would hold on down the stretch to preserve the 75-69 victory.
The Bombers shot a season-best 49.2% from the field and knocked down 8-of-17 from 3-point range as they were led by Majka who scored 22 points, while adding eight rebounds.
Madison Gill also finished in double figures with 10 points.
Ithaca College (2-3, 1-0 Liberty League) will finish off the backend of a home Liberty League back-to-back tomorrow afternoon when they host Bard College. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
