Box Score New Paltz, NY — It was a dominating performance by the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team in its final home stand Saturday against SUNY Potsdam.
 
The Hawks' defense forced the Bears (1-18 overall, 0-13 SUNYAC) into 27 turnovers and limited them to just 34.2 percent shooting from the field to propel their most lopsided victory of the season, 81-37.
 
"It was nice to have a little breathing room for once instead of letting them back into the game like we tend to do, but I think it was a matter of keeping our focus defensively and we did a much better job of that overall," said SUNY New Paltz coach Jamie Seward. "I thought if we stayed focused, it was pretty cut and try of what we needed to do to defend particular people, so it was just a matter of keeping to our task and staying focused on what we were supposed to do."
 
The Hawks (12-7, 8-4) pressed SUNY Potsdam right off the opening tip and forced 14 first-half turnovers. Although it was a slow offensive start for SUNY New Paltz, its defense fueled its offense in the second quarter, which enabled the large lead.
 
"We thought we could speed them up and make them play at a pace that they weren't comfortable playing at and open up a lead a little bit earlier, which actually didn't happen. But we did get them playing uncomfortably, we just didn't finish a little bit," Seward said.
 
Rachel Simon was the catalyst for the Hawks, registering 17 points in just 16 minutes after hitting six of her first 11 shots. Her hot hand, combined with the team's continuous effort on the offensive glass — SUNY New Paltz picked up 12 of its 22 first-half rebounds on the offensive end — the Hawks were able to start pulling away, and ended the half with a 19-point lead.

Ultimately, the Hawks out-rebounded the Bears, 47-33, and accumulated more offensive rebounds (25) than defensive (22). 
 
"Coach Seward is always making sure that we know that rebounding is extremely important," said SUNY New Paltz freshman forward Demi Herasme. "We just have really been practicing to gather ourselves and grab the ball."
 
The halftime break didn't hinder the Hawks' momentum, as their defense forced 13 more turnovers in the final 20 minutes to help balloon the advantage to as many as 47.
 
"Defensively, we knew we needed to turn them over and holding them was really crucial to the game," Herasme said. "We just made that we stayed on our feet and continued to do the best we could."
 
Although just playing 19 minutes on the night, Simon finished with a game-high 20 points for SUNY New Paltz, which matched her season-high. She also added an assist and three steals.
 
"What a really like with what Rachel has been doing over the last week or two especially, is that she has become a lot more aggressive attacking the basket," Seward said. "She's been so aggressive in transition and when people do try and drive her off the line, she's getting to the basket and hitting that floater, that little in-between shot. She is really tough to guard now that she has added that component to her game."
 
Herasme (12 points, 5 rebounds), Nicole Ziogas (10 points, 7 rebounds) and Amanda Skopetos (10 points, 5 rebounds) all finished in double-figures for the Hawks, while Madison Van Pelt added six points and eight boards in 18 minutes, and Sandi Harris chipped in with seven points, six rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.

SUNY New Paltz hopes to extend its current four-game conference-winning streak on the road the next three weeks, starting this Friday and Saturday against Buffalo State and Fredonia State, which it had already defeated at home earlier this year.

"To have four wins in a row in the conference has been really important to our team.," Herasme said. "We've been preparing for this stretch coming up, so it really helped us mentally and built up our confidence."
 
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