New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz faced Misericordia University Saturday in the Hawk Center with the Hawks suffering their first loss of the season and first defeat on their home court in more than two years, 65-60.
 
SUNY New Paltz (2-1 overall) led for the majority of the game and saw a lead as large as 13, but the Cougars continued to stick around and finally took their first advantage late in the fourth quarter, as they out-scored the Hawks 33-15 in the final 17 minutes of the game to improve to 2-0 on the season.
 
SUNY New Paltz worked the ball inside and found success early to get out in front, 9-0, which was capped by Brianna Fitzgerald who split two defenders on her way to the basket before earning a steal and a transition bucket on the opposite end. The Hawks extended their lead to 16-9 midway through the quarter, as Cassidy Deaver and Jenny Walton did a good job doubling early, forcing a turnover that led to an and-1 by Walton who finished tough at the rim.
 
The Cougars ended the period strong however, going on a 10-1 run to cut the score to 20-19 entering the second quarter. The Hawks struggled finishing shots in the second, making 6-for-17 to shoot just more than 35 percent from the field. Fitzgerald helped end the second quarter drought with a nice feed inside to Abby Korzekwinski that pushed the hosts ahead, 24-21.
 
 
Madison Mullman, coming off a team-high 16 points against Hartwick Friday night, subbed in and helped the offense with a 3-pointer early in the quarter to push the score to 27-21. The Hawks held onto the lead, but the Cougars got as close as three in the final two minutes off a trey by Jocelyn Grosch, but SUNY New Paltz scored the last three points on a free throw by Korzekwinski and driving lay-in by Walton to push the score to 34-28.
 
Lexi Van Vorst opened up the second half for the Hawks with a steal and easy basket in transition which ignited a 11-0 run in the first two minutes forcing the Cougars into a timeout. Walton added on, finishing on a drive in the paint with Van Vorst then connecting in the corner for 3 before Korzekwinski capped the run with two made free throws to give SUNY New Paltz its largest lead of the game at 43-30.  
Misercordia worked its way back within four mid-way through the third, but the Hawks ended the quarter with a nice finish by Korzekwinski off the dribble to bring the lead to 52-45 entering the fourth.
 
SUNY New Paltz struggled to find its shooting touch in the final period, however, hitting just 3-for-17 including 0-5 from the perimeter while suffering nine turnovers in the final 10 minutes to allow Misericordia to take the lead, which came with five minutes to go in the game. Following a defensive stop, the Cougars got out in front and put away two on the fast break with Gianna Delfino finding Melina Santacroce for an easy transition basket. The Cougars forced a turnover on a bad pass in traffic, resulting in another made attempt by Santacroce with Delfino capping the momentum-shifting 12-0 run on a 3-pointer with three minutes remaining, giving Misercordia a six-point lead.
 
Fitzgerald helped tie the score one more time, as the junior sliced her way through the paint to earn a trip to the foul line with less than two minutes to go, making both. Next time down the floor, she got her hands on the ball and ripped it away from a Cougars player to force a jump ball and lighting up the crowd and home bench. The Hawks took advantage and forced a turnover on a forced pass and Fitzgerald capitalized going coast-to-coast to knot the score at 60.
 
However, that was as close as SUNY New Paltz got. Following a Misericordia timeout, Defino worked her way inside for two in the paint and a bad pass out of a timeout on an inbounds play allowed Defino to score in the open floor to extend the advantage back at four. The Hawks couldn't get their last shots to go in the final 20 seconds and they took their first loss in the Hawk Center since 2020. 
 
Fitzgerald finished with a double-double, contributing 20 points, 13 rebounds, three assist and three steals. Korzekwinski followed with 13 points, three rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal. Walton was the only other Hawk in double-figure points, finishing with 11, while adding four rebounds, three steals and an assist.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Nov. 18 and 17, as it continues a tough non-league schedule when it enters the Messiah Tournament. The Hawks open the two-day slate with Clarks Summit University Nov. 18 at 5 p.m.

Post-Game Highlights

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