Box Score GENEVA, N.Y.—Senior guard
Marisa Vespa (Immaculate Heart/Watertown, N.Y.) delivered the signature performance of her stellar career tonight, leading the 16th-ranked William Smith College basketball team to a 76-59 victory over Union College. Her career-high 30 points came on a 10-for-10 shooting effort, including seven three-pointers, and a 3-for-3 showing from the line.
Vespa’s perfection is the best shooting performance by a William Smith player, since Gwen Scott ’82 went 16-for-16 against Nazareth on Jan. 25, 1980, while Vespa’s seven makes from behind the arc are the most by a Heron without a miss. She also grabbed five boards and dished out four assists.
William Smith (21-2, 12-1 Liberty League) led from start to finish, shooting 47.4 percent from the floor (8-14 from three) and 82.4 percent from the line. The Herons also dominated on the glass, outrebounding the Dutchwomen 42-26. The victory gives William Smith the top seed in the Liberty League Tournament, Feb. 29-March 1.
Union (13-10, 7-6) shot just 39 percent from the floor and a dismal 42.1 percent from the line (8-19).
William Smith needed just six minutes to build a double digit lead. Vespa hit back-to-back treys to turn a 12-8 contest into an 18-8 Heron lead. William Smith’s advantage floated between eight and 17 points throughout the remainder of the first half before settling into a 39-27 halftime lead.
The Dutchwomen were unable to mount a comeback in the second half, getting no closer than their halftime deficit and trailing by as many as 24.
Sophomore forward
Erin Cunningham (Morris Knolls/Rockaway, N.Y.) added nine points to the winning effort, while junior guard
Latasha Coney (Lyons/Lyons, N.Y.) chipped in a team-high seven rebounds, six points and four assists. Graduate student guard
Paula Foote (Sidney/Sidney, N.Y.) also recorded four helpers.
Junior center Rachel Ormsby (Burnt Hills/Charlton, N.Y.) paced the visitors with 12 points, while junior forward Michelle Rogers (Clarence/Clarence, N.Y.) and junior guard Maria Tobin (Bishop Maginn/Schenectady, N.Y.) each scored 10.
William Smith is back in action on Feb. 23, when the Herons host Skidmore at 2 p.m.
