Box Score Fredonia, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team collected its seventh-straight SUNYAC win after defeating hosting Fredonia State, 61-43, Saturday.
 
"I think their confidence, individually and in one another, is growing," said Hawks coach Jamie Seward. "What we are really looking for now is that every weekend we come home a little tighter, and even more excited to get back at it and try to get better on Monday."
 
SUNY New Paltz (14-7 overall, 10-4 SUNYAC) swept the Blue Devils (8-14, 6-9) for the second straight year, after also defeating them in the Hawk Center, 64-55, on Jan. 20.
 
On Friday, the score went back-and-forth to open up, but the Hawks got out to a 19-16 lead after the first quarter, and extended their cushion to as many as 10 in the second period, and Rachel Simon was a big factor.
 
Like in SUNY New Paltz's first meeting with Fredonia State, Simon was the catalyst, scoring 18 of the Hawks' 34 points in the half.  She shot efficiently, making 7 of 13 attempts from the floor, including 4 of 6 from the arc.
 
"Rachel hit a few in a row in the first half and if it wasn't for that, we may have been down quite a bit at the break," said Seward, whose team took a seven-point lead at halftime. "Now she just needs to put two strong halves together."
 
The Blue Devils held the advantage on the glass (44-28), which allowed them to stick around. They cut deficit down to five twice in the third quarter, but SUNY New Paltz's proficiency from the perimeter helped build an 11-point cushion entering the final 10 minutes.

The hot shooting continued in the fourth for the Hawks, while defensively, they held Fredonia State without a basket until just five minutes left in the game.
 
"We defended well, but we couldn't get ourselves out of possessions," Seward said. "Furthermore, we didn't finish strong around the basket and were looking to get bailed out by the officials far too often. In the second half we attacked the basket better and got to the free throw much more as a result."
 
Simon totaled a game-high 21 points, along with four rebounds and three steals, while Marion Dietz followed with 14 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 39 minutes.
 
As a team, SUNY New Paltz shot just 31 percent from the field, but netted nearly 45 percent from the arc, knocking down 13 of 29 attempts. Amanda Skopetos, Lindsay Bettke, Dietz and Simon each hit at least two from the 3-point line.
 
"We have some really good shooters, don't get me wrong. We don't expect to shoot 45 percent from 3 every game, but we have quite a few players who are very capable of getting hot from beyond the arc," Seward said. "And we needed it today, because Fredonia really took it to us on the glass."
 
The Hawks hope to keep their winning streak alive when they are back on the road next weekend to take on first place SUNY Geneseo and The College at Brockport. Be sure to follow @nphawks on Twitter and @newpaltzhawks on Instagram and Facebook for updates, scores, recaps and more!