POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The RIT (6-7, 2-2 Liberty League) women's basketball team was defeated 70-65 at Vassar College (10-3, 3-1 Liberty League) in Liberty League action on Saturday afternoon.

#Kayla Wheeler (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) led RIT with a career-high 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting. (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley)Courtney Tennant (Cortland, NY/Cortland) added 13 points to go along with 12 rebounds. (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley)Ashlynn Palmitesso (Fulton, NY/G. Ray Bodley)# chipped in 10 for the Tigers who shot 34.8 percent from the floor.

RIT trailed 25-17 with 6:47 to play in the first half, but rallied with a 13-6 run, cutting the Brewers lead to 31-30 at the half. Wheeler, who led RIT with 18 first-half points, scored seven of RIT's 13 points in the run.

The Tigers shot 31.3 percent from the floor on 10-of-32 shooting, including 1-of-9 from behind the arc, and went 9-of-12 from the foul line.

Vassar shot 24.2 percent from floor in the first half, led by Caitlin Drakeley who scored nine first-half points. Cydni Matsuoka added eight for the Brewers who held a slight 27-23 rebounding edge.

RIT opened the second half with a quick 7-4 burst, taking a 37-35 lead on a three pointer by #Maria Edwards (Forrest Hill, MD/The Carroll School)# with 18:08 to play.

Vassar answered with an 8-1 run of its own, taking a 45-38 lead on a free throw by Matsuoka.

Later in the half with RIT trailing 54-49, Palmitesso drained a 3-pointer from the corner, cutting the Vassar lead to 54-52. Matsuoka answered with two straight 3-pointers for the Brewers, extending Vassar's lead to 57-52 lead.

Palmitesso answered with a long basket of her own on RIT's next possession, cutting the Brewers lead to 60-57.

Trailing 65-61, Tennant was fouled on the way to the hoop. She made the first free throw, but missed the second, getting her own rebound, but could not convert. With the Tigers trailing 65-62 inside the last minute of play, #Jess Kramer (Fayetteville, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt)# drained a long 3-pointer from the corner, tying the score at 65-65.

Vassar answered right back on their next possession as Drakeley nailed a three of her own, giving the Brewers a 68-65 lead with 13 seconds to play.

After a timeout, RIT inbounded the ball, eventually finding Kramer on the wing. She fired a three that came off the rim and into the hands of Vassar's of Hannah Senftleber who was fouled. Senftleber made both free throws giving Vassar a 70-65 lead.

RIT if off until Friday, January 24 when the Tigers host Rensselaer in Liberty League action from Clark Gym at 6 p.m.