November 23 , 2004

First-year Marisa Vespa scored the final four points of the game, including a pair of free throws with 2.6 seconds left, to lift the Herons over Brockport 58-56. (Photo by Kevin Colton/SPORTSPICS.NET)

GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith College first-year Marisa Vespa (Immaculate Heart/Watertown, N.Y.) knocked down a pair of free throws with 2.6 seconds left in the game to give the Herons a 58-56 victory over visiting SUNY Brockport in NCAA Division III basketball this evening. Vespa led all William Smith scorers with 16 points.

The Herons (2-0) led by as many as 11 in the second half, but the Golden Eagles went on a 19-8 run in the closing 10 minutes to take a two point edge after Kim Schlegel (Red Creek Central/Red Creek, N.Y.) found the bottom of the net twice from the charity stripe with 52 seconds to play in regulation. Still down a bucket with 21 seconds to go, Vespa took over, knocking the ball away from Brockport’s Courtney Hines at midcourt and connecting on a fast-break layup to even the score, 56-56, with 19 seconds remaining.

On the next possession, the Golden Eagles could not connect and junior Seraphine Hamilton (The Peddie School/Trenton, N.J.) grabbed the rebound for William Smith. After a timeout by the Herons with four seconds on the clock, Vespa drew a foul on Brockport with 2.6 seconds left on the clock, earning a pair of free throws to give the Herons the two point victory. Hamilton finished the contest with 10 points and seven rebounds.

The two teams could not miss in the opening minutes of the game, making their first seven shots. William Smith took an early 13-6 lead behind first-year Stephanie Czajkowski’s (Bishop Ludden/Syracuse, N.Y.) six points. Czajkowski finished the game with 14 points and a team-high nine caroms.

The Herons built that lead to 10 at the 14-minute mark, but Brockport (0-3) closed the half with a 12-4 run to make it 32-31 heading into the locker room.

Coming out of the break, both teams struggled from the field as they combined for just seven baskets in the opening five minutes. William Smith slowly built its lead back up to double figures before Brockport stormed back into the game and setting up the exciting finish.

Junior Pria Young (Council Rock/Richboro, Pa.) also turned in a solid effort for the Herons with 10 points and a game-high nine steals.

Senior Mary Ahrens (Gates-Chili/Rochester, N.Y.) had 16 points and a game-high 11 boards, while Schlegel chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds for the Golden Eagles.

William Smith hits the road for the first time in the 2004-05 season on Dec. 4, traveling to Ithaca for a 2 p.m., tipoff.

Back to William Smith Basketball