Box Score Bethlehem, PA — The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team dropped its second-straight game Sunday, as a big second quarter by Cabrini University propelled the Cavaliers past the Hawks, 72-61, in the opening game of the Steel Club Classic at Moravian College.
 
"Honestly, I am extremely disappointed in the job that I've done with this group over the last 18 months," said Hawks coach Jamie Seward. "I just haven't been able to instill the toughness and grit that is necessary to win basketball games. The type of characteristics that this program was built on."
 
The Hawks (4-4 overall) made a strong push at the end of the first quarter to go up by six. A 10-0 SUNY New Paltz run ensued following back-to-back traditional three-point plays made by Marion Dietz and Lindsay Bettke with about three minutes left in the opening period. SUNY New Paltz held Cabrini scoreless and forced three turnovers in the stretch to help establish an 18-12 lead heading into the second quarter.
 
The Cavaliers came back to knot the game at 20, but from the eight-minute mark of the second quarter neither team could find the bottom of the hoop until Nomi Washington made a 3 with 5 minutes, 28 seconds left in the half. Kate Lannon followed with another Cabrini 3, which was followed with another made bucket behind the arc by Cassidy Gallagher to start a quick 9-0 run for the Cavaliers. Paige Niemeyer ended the run, scoring the Hawks' first basket since early in the period with about three minutes minutes left in the half.
 
The Cavaliers out-scored SUNY New Paltz 26-8 in the period and went up, 38-26, going into halftime.
 
"When we can finish in the paint and our perimeter shots aren't falling we have those stretches like today's second quarter where we don't score for six or seven minutes," Seward said. "When you don't defend and when you have those types of offensive droughts, it certainly does not put you in the most advantageous position to win a game."

The Hawks cut the deficit to as little as four late in the third quarter following a made floater by Taylor Howell in the paint, but could not get their shots to fall down the stretch, while Cabrini kept rolling to maintain the lead. SUNY New Paltz trailed by as many as 18 late in the fourth quarter and could not overcome the large cushion, dropping its fourth game of the season.
 
"We do some good things defensively from a schematic standpoint and either put our opponent in a difficult spot or get them late in the shot clock. However, we just don't have the toughness to finish plays or possessions," Seward said. "Whether it's allowing them to pass out of traps because of weak-side defenders stand and watch, or one person missed an assignment with them scrambling late in the shot clock, or just not getting a rebound after forcing a tough shot, we just don't have the toughness to finish. If you can't finish, you can't win."
 
The Hawks scored its second-lowest point total of the season, shooting just 35 percent from the field and 28 percent from behind the perimeter.
 
"We just can't seem to finish shots in the paint," added Seward. "It's not whether it's on a drive or an offensive rebound we take these wild, hope and prayer type of shots more often than not. The most frustrating part is that we work on finishing moves nearly every single day and have for two years now, but we are having a very difficult time carrying that over to the game."
 
Dietz, Bettke and Rachel Simon all scored a team-high 12 points on the day for SUNY New Paltz. Dietz added six rebounds and two assists, Bettke contributed four boards and Simon also totaled four rebounds to go along with three steals.
 
The Hawks are back on the floor at Moravian College Monday against Delaware Valley University in the consolation game of the Steel Club Classic at 11 a.m.

To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks,Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our Youtube channel, New Paltz Hawks.