BRUNSWICK, ME (December 30, 2025) -- Junior guard
Stella Galanes poured in a career-high 28 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor, leading the Tufts University women's basketball team to an 84-68 neutral site win over Vassar College in the second day of action at the Coastal Classic at Bowdoin College.
The 28 points were the most for a Tufts University player since Maggie Russell poured in 28 points back on February 9, 2024 at Wesleyan University. It was just the second career 20-point output for the junior from Sharon, Vermont, while the 28 points was the third-highest point output in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) this year.
The contest on Tuesday never really in doubt, as Tufts scored the game's first 13 points while leading 23-2 with 1:39 to go in the opening stanza. The Jumbos held Vassar (3-5) without a field goal until the 39 second mark of the first quarter, and ended up taking a 27-9 lead in the second quarter. Sophomore
Claire Kolkhorst and Galanes each had eight points in the first quarter, as Tufts shot 52.4 percent from the field while holding VC to 2-of-13 shooting overall.
The Brewers started to get their offense going in the second quarter, and pulled to within 14 at 34-20 after a Sophia Ippolito lay-up, but first-year guard
Tessa Lozner hit a driving layup to start a 9-0 run capped by a triple from first-year
Maddy Steel to make it 43-20. A runner just before the halftime buzzer by junior
Annie Ryan made it 48-26 in favor of Tufts going to the locker room.
Vassar outscored the Jumbos 19-14 in the third quarter and got as close at down 12 twice in the fourth quarter, but a 9-2 spurt by the Jumbos pushed the lead back out for a comfortable victory.
Galanes was efficient on the way to her career-best scoring output, as she was 4-of-6 from behind the arc while going 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. She added three steals as well.
Lozner finished with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting, adding three rebounds as well, and Kolkhorst tallied 12 points, six caroms and three steals in 29 minutes of action. Steel played a career-high 12 minutes and made them count, hitting all four of her shots including two from three-point land on the way to a career-high 11 points off the bench.
Senior
Sarah Crossett tallied six points, six rebounds and a team-high four helpers, and senior
Annie Aspesi also had six points and three rebounds in the victory. Tufts shot over 50 percent in three of the four quarters, including a scorching 8-of-13 in the second quarter (61.5 percent), making 50.8 percent (33-65) for the game. Tufts posted a high 43-8 edge in points off the bench Tuesday, while also finishing with a 40-24 edge in points in the paint.
Vassar saw Sierra McDermed record a team-high 22 points, adding five rebounds and three steals, and Maureen Regan also had 20 points and three steals in the loss. Lindsey Shoulders finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Brewers, who were 22-of-57 from the floor (38.6 percent).
The victory was also special for Tufts head coach
Meredith Mesaris, who was the Vassar College head coach for the previous two seasons before being hired this off-season to take the reins of the Jumbo program. This was the first match-up against her former team, which she guided to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.
Tufts will have a few days off before hosting Skidmore College Saturday afternoon, January 3 at 1 p.m. in Cousens Gymnasium in non-conference play.
--JUMBOS--
