Box Score Stony Brook, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team took on Division I Stony Brook University Wednesday at Island Federal Arena and fell, 87-50.
 
The Hawks (2-2 overall) had trouble matching up with the Seawolves' length and athleticism, especially on the offensive end. Stony Brook's 6-foot, 4-inch forward Oksana Gouchie-Provencher put up a career high 14 points in the outing, giving the Seawolves the opening lead of the night, which they never relinquished at any point in the game.
 
Lindsay Bettke kept the game within five early in the first quarter, but Stony Brook rattled off nine-straight points to build a strong cushion, which then ballooned to 18 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The Seawolves piled on in the second, limiting SUNY New Paltz to just three made baskets — all by Rachel Simon. A deep 3-pointer at the buzzer by Shania Johnson lifted the Stony Brook's lead to 34 at the break.
 
"We were very disappointed with the way we competed or didn't compete in the first half. Other than a couple of them, they played scared and intimidated," said Hawks coach Jamie Seward. "But the second half we competed."
 
SUNY New Paltz regrouped at halftime, and although the Seawolves fed off their first half run early in the third, seeing its largest lead reach 42 with 7:46 remaining in the period, the Hawks kept fighting and played better as the game wore on.
 
Marion Dietz was the catalyst in the second half for SUNY New Paltz, scoring six of her eight points in the last 20 minutes. Dietz, Paige Niemeyer and Simon all helped trim Stony Brook's advantage to 31 down the stretch, but that was the closest the Hawks got as the Seawolves received contributions from everyone who stepped on the floor.
 
Stony Brook totaled 28 assists in the game, while shooting 50 percent from the field and scoring 46 of its points in the paint. The Hawks shot 40 percent from the floor, including 13 percent from 3-point range (3-of-23).
 
"Their size and athleticism and skill for that matter forced us to do some things that we always talk about doing, but can get away with not doing against lesser competition," Seward said. "Today if we didn't do those things we got dominated, and in the second half we started doing those things more consistently and in a more aggressive manner."
 
Simon led SUNY New Paltz with 15 points to go along with two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Dietz followed with eight points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. Niemeyer and Madison Van Pelt each added seven points with the latter coming down with five boards, two of which were on the offensive glass.
 
The Hawks are back on the road Friday and Saturday to start conference play against Plattsburgh State and SUNY Potsdam. They are scheduled to take on the Cardinals Friday at 5:30 p.m. and the Bears Saturday at 2 p.m.

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