Box Score SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The Skidmore women's basketball team (12-12, 10-5 Liberty League) dropped a tight Senior Night contest to Vassar College (20-4, 12-3), 64-57 Friday at the Williamson Center.
 
The Thoroughbreds have already clinched a Liberty League playoff berth and will close out the regular season on Saturday at Rensselaer at 2 p.m.
 
The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring five ties and seven lead changes.  Vassar won the opening tip and scored six quick points before Skidmore got on the board with a Logan Frederick layup.  Skidmore went on a 6-0 run of its own to knot the score 10-10 with 9:59 remaining in the half.  Both teams jockeyed for the lead over the next five minutes, evening the score at 22-22.  Skidmore then ripped off three consecutive baskets for its largest lead of the half at 28-22 with 2:25 remaining on the clock.  The Thoroughbred lead would be short-lived however, as the Brewers stormed back on the strength of a 10-0 surge including an old-fashioned three-point play by Colleen O'Connell to take a 32-28 halftime lead.
 
Coach Bennett's squad regrouped as the second half started, scoring two seconds into the half en route to seven consecutive points to take a three point lead.  Vassar quickly erased the advantage when Cydni Matsuoka drained a trey to level the game at 37-37. 
 
Both teams fought to gain a clear advantage, but solid defense and timely scoring kept it close through the first 10 minutes of the second stanza.  Skidmore clung to a 47-46 lead after Dani DeGregory rattled off six points for the Thoroughbreds, but the Brewers countered with an 7-0 run, which lasted for over four minutes of action.  Angela Botiba halted the run by converting on a three-point play to cut the Vassar advantage to one possession.  Skidmore would reclaim the lead when Botiba and Jordyn Wartts each connected on layups.  The lead would only last 24 seconds as Vassar answered with a layup of its own making it 55-54.  Skidmore would once again take a one-point lead, before Vassar ended the game on a 9-1 run to seal the victory 64-57.
 
Botiba was on fire from the floor, connecting on 10-13 attempts for a game-high 21 points.  She also contributed seven rebounds and three assists.  Wartts had a fine game as well, adding nine points and seven rebounds. 
 
Vassar was paced by Hannah Senftleber's 18 points and 7 boards while Colleen O'Connell had 14 points in the win.