Box Score CLINTON, N.Y. – A dry scoring spell to start the second half proved costly for the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team, which dropped a 62-46 non-conference game to Hamilton College on Tuesday night at Scott Field House.
The Hawks, who trailed 34-24 at halftime, went the first 5:45 of the second half without scoring, and in that time period the Continentals went on an 11-0 run to build a 45-24 lead. It wasn't until freshman guard
Colleen Taylor (Blauvelt, N.Y./Tappan Zee) drained a three-pointer from the left side at the 14:15 mark that New Paltz got on the board at 45-26. Hamilton then went on an 8-0 spurt to build a 53-26 lead with 12:03 to play, and the Hawks found themselves in a comeback mode for the third straight game.
The loss drops New Paltz to 2-7, while Hamilton improves to 5-4. The Hawks remain idle until resuming State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play against SUNY Cortland on Jan. 7 at the Hawk Center at 6 p.m. Hamilton has one semester game remaining, travelling to Buffalo State for a 2 p.m. contest on Dec. 14.
The contest was tied at 6-6 and 9-9 in the early stages, but the Continentals went on a 12-0 run to surge ahead 21-9 at the midpoint of the first half. The Hawks stormed back with a 13-2 run of their own to come within 23-22 following a jumper by sophomore guard
Goldie Harrison (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) with 3:50 until halftime. New Paltz again trimmed the Hamilton lead to one point, 25-24, following two free throws by sophomore guard
Christine Rivera (Long Beach, N.Y./Valley Stream) with 2:39 to play.
The Continentals wouldn't allow New Paltz to get any closer, delivering a devastating blow by going on a 9-0 run to close out the half, courtesy of two clutch three-pointers from senior guard Dani Feigin. The Continentals parlayed that momentum into the second half, scoring the first 11 points before Taylor's three-pointer stemmed the tide. Hamilton was bolstered by a 24-8 advantage in points in the paint, using a 14-4 second half edge to pull away.
Both Harrison and junior guard
Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) led New Paltz with 11 points. Junior guard
Ashley Riefenhauser (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) had a pair of three-pointers in the second half and finished with nine points and six rebounds. Senior forward
Jeanette Scott had a team-best seven rebounds.
Three student-athletes scored in double figures for Hamilton, led by Feigin's 18 points, on a proficient 7-for-12 from the field, and 12 points each from sophomore guard Samantha Graber and fellow sophomore guard Carly Gruenberg. Senior forward Olivia Pimm led all rebounders with 12 boards, five of them coming off the offensive glass.
