A big third quarter proved to be the difference maker for the Vassar Brewers, as they handed the St. Lawrence University women's basketball team their first conference loss of 2026 on Saturday afternoon.

The Saints fell 70-58, dropping their conference record to 3-2, and their overall record to 8-4.

Annie Perry and Norah Niesz were the offensive catalysts for the Saints, with Perry posting 16 points and Niesz dropping 14 off the bench.

It was a strong start for the road team, with St. Lawrence leading for the majority of the first quarter, scoring the first four points of the game off back-to-back Perry jumpers. Vassar took the lead for the first time right after the three minute mark of the first quarter and held it until the end of the quarter, leading 16-14.

Right off the hop in the second, the teams traded three pointers, with Perry and Niesz draining two for the Scarlet and Brown to give them a 20-19 lead. From there into halftime, neither team possessed a lead of more than two points until Sierra McDermed's late jumper put the Brewers up by three at 36-33 into half.

The second half saw a swing to Vassar's favor, where they extended their late second quarter offence to an 8-0 run and a seven-point lead. It got as high as 13 on the last possession of the second, as they outscored St. Lawrence by 10 in the third. That spread in the third quarter ultimately carried the home team to a 12-point win.

Other contributors include Jackie Malley, who had 12 points. The guard has hit double figures in all but one game this season. Hannah Van Dyke had the team high in rebounds with eight.

The Saints now return home to face Skidmore on Friday.