Hawks Outlast Vassar in Triple Overtime

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — Not even a blizzard and three extra periods could separate cross-town rivals Vassar College (4-5) and SUNY New Paltz (6-4) on Tuesday night, but in the end it was the Hawks outlasting the Brewers in triple overtime, 72-64.

Sophomore guard Kerri Kelty (Valley Stream, NY/ Valley Stream) nailed a three-pointer, and sophomore forward Sandra Glazekwski (Dobbs Ferry, NY/ Dobbs Ferry) made four crucial free throws to end to help the Hawks prevail in a game that featured eight lead changes in the three overtimes, and each team having several chances to win.

With nine seconds left in the second overtime, Kelty (16 pts, 12 rebs, 4 assists), who played all 55 minutes of the marathon game, came off a screen and took a pass from fellow backcourt mate, senior Kim Weigel (Whitestone, NY/ St. Francis Prep), and her jumper found nothing but net, erasing a three-point deficit, to send the game into a third overtime.

Kelty’s heroics capped a frenetic two overtimes that went back and forth for ten hectic minutes. A Kelty jumper with a minute left in the first overtime gave SUNY New Paltz the lead, but Vassar junior forward Natalie Serkowski (Clinton Corners, NY/ Our Lady of Lourdes) tied the game with a defender in her face, with 37 seconds remaining. Following a SUNY New Paltz timeout, Weigel was unable to handle the inbounds pass, and Vassar had a shot for the win. Junior guard Erin Harper (Kings Park, NY/ Kings Park) found sophomore center Rachel Cerlen (Short Hills, NJ/ Milburn) wide open under the basket, but her lay up attempt bounced harmlessly off the rim.

SUNY New Paltz was in control for most of the first half, opening with a 9-2 run. Vassar scored 11 straight points to take a 13-9 lead at 10:39, but the Hawks responded with a 16-8 run to end the half, leading 25-21 after the first 20 minutes.

The second half was more of the same, as the Hawks sustained the lead, but could not shake the pesky Brewers, and never led by more than six. But the Brewers refused to go away, and they took their first lead since the middle of the first half, at 46-45, on a three-pointer by freshman guard Melissa Jones (Winsted, CT/ Gilbert School), who had been one of seven before that. A layup Harper, stretched the lead to three, but Weigel hit a three-pointer with nine seconds remaining to send the game into extra time.

Weigel (6 rebs, 5 steals) finished with a game-high 20 points, while Kelty (12 rebs, 4 assists), added 16 points, for New Paltz. Meredith McGair (7 rebs) led Vassar with 19 points, while Natalie Serkowski (6 rebs, 6 assists, 5 steals) added 15. Harper finished just one bucked and three boards short of a triple-double, with 8 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds, and played 54 of 55 minutes.