Box Score

GENESEO, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team fell to host SUNY Geneseo, 66-47, in the 2016-17 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) opener on Friday evening in Schrader Gymnasium.

New Paltz made 19-of-64 shots from the field (29.1 percent), grabbed 31 points off the bench and 11 points off turnovers. Geneseo shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field, 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from beyond the arc and converted 15-of-22 (59.1 percent) from the line.

Freshman guard Kei-Tavia Glover (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) finished the night with a team-high 11 points off the bench, converting 5-of-8 shots from the field, while pulling down six boards for New Paltz. Nine different players scored points for the Hawks (3-3, 0-1 SUNYAC) including senior guard/forward Kit Small (Slingerlands, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) who provided six points and three blocks while freshman guard Maddie Van Pelt (Montgomery, N.Y./Valley Central) also added six points and chipped in a team-high nine rebounds.

For Geneseo (5-0, 1-0 SUNYAC), senior guard Kara Houppert led the way with 18 points, sinking 4-of-5 shots from beyond the arc, while sophomore guard Kelsey Poplawski and senior guard Kayleigh Cavanaugh added 12 and 10 points, respectively for the Knights.

The Hawks held the advantage throughout the first and second periods, heading into halftime with a 25-22 lead. New Paltz managed to stay ahead as the third quarter got underway but the Knights would soon tie the score 29-all at the 7:10 mark before taking their first lead of the night shortly afterwards.

Geneseo extended its lead to 33-29 off a 4-0 run but a 3-pointer by freshman guard Marion Dietz (Hopewell Junction, N.Y./John Jay-East Fishkill) would bring the Hawks within one before Glover hit a jumper to return the advantage back to New Paltz (34-33). However a 12-4 spurt would put the Knights back on top, 45-38, heading into the final period.

In the fourth quarter Geneseo pushed a 19-2 burst, stretching its lead to 63-40 with 2:21 remaining. Despite a 5-2 run by the Hawks, including a last second layup by freshman forward Brianna Alberga (Bronx, N.Y./Harry S. Truman), the Knights would claim their fifth consecutive win as the clock expired to seal the final 66-47 tally.

New Paltz will look for its first conference win tomorrow when the Hawks visit SUNYAC foe The College at Brockport for a 4 p.m. contest.