New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz collected the series sweep over SUNY Geneseo Friday following a stout defensive effort that kept the Knights to a season low in a 48-40 victory.
 
"I'd have to say it is," said SUNY New Paltz coach Jamie Seward when asked if the outing was his team's best defensive performance of the season. "We locked in and had a much better consistency of focus over the course of the entire game. We made some mistakes. They got some back-cuts on us, lost a couple shooters and they took advantage once and didn't take advantage a couple other times. We got beat on the glass pretty bad in the first half, but competed better in the second half. With all those things taken into account, I think that we had a pretty good defensive performance and we had to, because they're a pretty good defensive team themselves."
 
Both teams made things difficult on the offensive end, but the Hawks were more active in causing turnovers and getting in the lane to force offensive fouls. The Knights finished with a season-high 34 turnovers in the loss, and were charged with eight offensive fouls. SUNY New Paltz senior Paige Niemeyer led in that effort, totaling five charges on the night, and stepped in at pivotal points in the game.
 
"Because we're not making shots on the offensive end, it's kind of a 180 from last season where we had a heart-breaking offensive team, and now we have to turn it up on the defensive end this year," Niemeyer said. "During this game it was super important for us, because we were struggling shooting the ball and so we have to pick it up on the defensive end. That means finishing every play either with a charge or a rebound, or if they score it then get it out and go quick [in] transition."
  
The Hawks took a slight one point advantage into the second quarter after ending the first on a 5-0 run. They opened the following 10 minutes by forcing four-straight Geneseo turnovers, which helped push them ahead by four with six minutes remaining in the half. Back to back buckets by the Knights' Lindsay Halpin tied the score at 17, but Maddie Gillis answered immediately off the bench for SUNY New Paltz, swishing a shot from the perimeter that instigated a 6-2 run. 

Geneseo climbed back to get within three two minutes later, but again Gillis came in clutch with a 3 to extend the lead to six. After a missed shot by Geneseo, Olivia Baudra picked up the defensive board and got out in front, going coast-to-coast to add a quick two points for the Hawks to push the advantage to eight. However, the Knights answered with a made jumper by Abigail Duvivier to cut the difference to 28-22 at the break. 
 
 
Although SUNY New Paltz held Geneseo to just four made baskets in the third, it went on a seven-minute scoring drought to begin the period that allowed the visitors to get out in front, 30-28 with about 3:45 remaining in the quarter. Van Pelt and Gillis finally gave the Hawks back the lead, both finishing around the basket to boost their team ahead, 32-30. Gillis extended that cushion to four, after making a steal near half court to then earn a trip to the line after pushing in transition following the turnover. She sank both attempts and put her team's advantage at four heading into the fourth.
 
"We went on long, long stretches without scoring and again, credit to Geneseo," Seward said. "They know us really, really well and their coaches had us with a great game plan defensively. It was hard to score and we didn't take advantage. A couple times we did get a couple easy ones and it was just like, man it's going to be tough, because it is going to be so hard to get those easy ones and when you don't cash in on them it makes it really difficult. But we did, Maddie Van Pelt hit a really big shot from the block when we were really struggling. Maddie Gillis in the first half had a couple big shots. I thought she defended really well and had a really good game overall. Marion [Dietz] made a big shot from the corner and made that play at the basket, getting to the basket, getting fouled and making some free throws. So a couple timely hoops when we needed to, but it really was the effort and the focus on the defensive end that won us the game."
 
Again, the Hawks were held scoreless for about five minutes of the fourth, which allowed Geneseo to go on a 6-0 run to re-gain control. Niemeyer stepped in to take another charge, forcing the turnover on the foul by Natalie Alfieri. The Hawks capitalized at the other end, as Badura picked up the offensive board following a miss from the perimeter by Dietz. The second time was the charm, however, as Dietz connected from the same spot on the second try to break SUNY New Paltz's scoring slump and cut the difference to one.  
Van Pelt swished a turnaround jumper near the baseline a play later to get the difference down to one once more at 40-39 with three minutes to go, but it was Dietz who officially put the Hawks ahead for good. After a defensive stand forced a bad pass by Geneseo, Dietz picked up an offensive rebound following a missed shot by Gillis and got hacked on the put-back to earn a trip to the line. She made both, giving SUNY New Paltz a 41-40 advantage and the hosts never trailed from that point forward. 
 
Niemeyer registered her fifth charge of the game, and arguably her most crucial, on the ensuing Knights possession after again stepping into the lane, taking contact and getting Halpin called on the offensive foul. Van Pelt took advantage on the offensive side of the floor, attacking the hoop and finishing at the rim to bring the lead to three. Van Pelt wasn't done there, as she jumped out on a pass on the Knights' ensuing possession to earn a steal, which after milking some clock then led to Dietz on the line after she was intentionally fouled.
 
"On the defensive end we just focused on our scout," Niemeyer said. "We had a scout going in. We had specific things that we needed to do on defense and that's high help, letting some people shoot it and getting out to other people first. I think we effectively did that and we did the scout how we were supposed to when we were going in for the game and I think that's why we were able to come out with this win with 48 points. You can't do that without good defense."
 
After connecting on 1-of-2 from the foul line to bring the difference to four, Geneseo called a timeout with about 35 seconds remaining. The Hawks talked it over as well and read the ensuing in-bound play perfectly, as they pressured and caused another turnover with Niemeyer getting her hands on the ball for a steal. She was immediately fouled and sent to the line where she connected on both. The trend continued in the waning seconds, as Van Pelt then forced an offensive foul on the Knights' Kerrin Montgomery, causing another turnover. Dietz then gained possession, was fouled and iced the win with two more made free throws.

"Coach has been playing them for 15 years now and me and the seniors have been playing them fo four years now, so we kind of know what they're looking for," Niemeyer said. "We know who they are getting their shots to. That was a part of our scout as well, and coach kind of drew up what we needed to do and we go over it in practice every day. We go over last minute plays, if they need a 3 or we need a 3. We know what we needed to do on that end and Maddie Van Pelt made that huge first steal, because she knew what they were going to do. It just comes down to focus and defensive effort on our end and I think that the score showed it... We executed correctly."  
Neither team shot the ball well, as Geneseo finished 36 percent from the floor (18-50) and the Hawks made 28 percent (16-57), including just 16 percent (4-25) from 3-point range. The Knights didn't have anyone hit double-figure points, while Dietz led all scorers with 12 after hitting 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. Badura followed with 11 points, while adding two rebounds and four steals. Van Pelt finished with eight points, six rebounds and two steals, while Niemeyer ended the day with six boards, two steals, one block and a team-high four assists to go along with four points on the night.

The win keeps SUNY New Paltz near the top of the conference standings at 16-3 overall and 11-1 in conference play. It has another tough matchup Saturday, taking on The College at Brockport, which will look to rebound from a 73-65 loss to SUNY Oneonta Friday. The game will also be Senior Day for the Hawks' four prolific seniors in Niemeyer, Van Pelt, Dietz and Philesha Teape, who with Saturday's win is just five victories away from officially becoming the winningest players to ever suit up for the program.
 
"Brockport is always hard for us," Niemeyer added. "They always give us their best, but we're New Paltz. Every one is going to give us their best. Going into this game tomorrow, we're prepared. After this win that kind of hyped us up. Those few minutes we really had to hype ourselves up and I just feel that momentum going into tomorrow. And so, Brockport always give us their best and I think if we go in focused and energetic like we did today then we're going to go out with a win. Two wins on the weekend and that is going to be huge for us, for us seniors on our senior night. I think that we want it and I think that the team, the freshmen want to give it to us so badly."
 
Tip-off against the Golden Eagles Saturday is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the Hawk Center. 

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