Box Score Geneseo, NY — It was another tight contest between SUNYAC rivals, the State University of New York at New Paltz (14-8 overall, 10-5 SUNYAC) and SUNY Geneseo (20-2, 15-0) Friday night.
 
The game was tied at 47 with about eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, but it was the Knights who hit timely shots, while keeping the Hawks to just six points the rest of the way to earn the, 61-53, victory and stay undefeated in conference play.
 
"Sometimes it's just about making shots and they made a few more than us in the fourth," said SUNY New Paltz coach Jamie Seward. "You have to give credit to their bench. They really stepped up and played with a lot of confidence tonight."
 
Rachel Simon and Marion Ditez carried the Hawks offensively, making up nearly 75 percent of their team's points in the contest.
 
SUNY Geneseo, meanwhile, received contribution offensively by all but one of its players that stepped on the court and were led by Sara Ciotti (11 points) and Nicole Kaczmarczyk (10) off the bench.
 
"We did a pretty good job on their big guns," said Seward.  "But their bench out-scored us, 37-2. So again, you have to give them credit."
 
The Hawks opened up with a 19-14 advantage after the first quarter, but the Knights took their first lead early in the second period and from there, there were three lead changes until SUNY Geneseo broke a 47 tie in the fourth.
 
Kaczmarczyk scored seven-straight points to put the Knights ahead by six with 6 minutes, 24 seconds remaining. Simon broke up the run with a made jumper, but SUNY Geneseo countered with five unanswered points to push its cushion to nine with about three minutes left.
 
Two made free throws by Simon cut the deficit to five with about two minutes remaining, but SUNY New Paltz struggled to hit their final four shots, allowing the Knights to escape with the win.
 
The loss puts an end to the Hawks' seven-game SUNYAC winning streak, while the Knights tighten their grasp on the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, which would allow them to host for the second-straight year. SUNY New Paltz will look to bounce back against The College at Brockport Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
"We have a lot of work to do to even put ourselves in position to come back here," Seward said. "So we are just going to focus on that and the big game we have tomorrow at Brockport."

Be sure to follow @nphawks on Twitter and @newpaltzhawks on Instagram and Facebook for updates, scores, recaps and more!