Mechanicsburg, PA — The State University of New York at New Paltz faced hosting Messiah University Saturday in the championship game of the Falcons Tip-Off Tournament and despite a strong fourth quarter come back, suffered a 65-58 loss to the D3hoops No. 21 team in the country. 
 
The Hawks, who move to 3-2 overall, led early in the game as a triple by Maddie Gillis pushed them ahead, 8-3 with five minutes to go in the first quarter. Messiah re-took the lead two minutes later and went onto earn a 18-14 advantage entering the second period where it saw its lead balloon to as many as 13 following a 3-pointer by Amber High midway through to push the score, 31-18. SUNY New Paltz worked the difference down to nine on a jumper by Brianna Fitzgerald and again on a lay-in underneath by Victoria Venus to cut the score, 36-27 at halftime.
 
After shooting just above 37 percent in the first half on 12 made baskets, the Hawks came out more efficient in the third quarter on 5-for-12 shooting. SUNY New Paltz brought the difference down to eight early in the period on an opening bucket by Graci Serravillo and again on a made 3-pointer by Lexi Van Vorst with about four minutes to go. However, the Falcons kept the Hawks at arms-length, responding on the opposite end each time to quickly re-up the double-digit lead. They ended the quarter with a made basket by Reese Harden in the final seconds to aid in a 54-42 advantage entering the fourth.  
High started the final 10 minutes with a make behind the perimeter to boost Messiah's lead to 15, but SUNY New Paltz kept battling and chipped away down the stretch to get within six three minutes later. Van Vorst started the run with another made 3 off a kick-out by Abby Korzekwinski. Jenny Walton created a turnover off a steal on the ensuing possession, leading to a trip to the foul line by Serravillo where she made both. Serravillo hit again, this time in the paint, on the team's following offensive possession with Walton again showing sticky hands on another steal, capitalizing with a fast-break bucket to get the score, 57-51 with 6:34 to play and forcing a Falcons timeout.
 
After trading points, Brianna Fitzgerald got SUNY New Paltz within four on a made jumper with just less than four minutes left. Each team struggled to connect from the floor in the following two minutes. Korzekwinski finally broke the stalemate after earning a trip to the charity stripe, making 1-of-2 with less than a minute to go. Messiah then started earning turns at the foul line and made enough (6-for-8) in the final minute to keep the Hawks at bay and hold onto the seven-point win.
 
Fitzgerald finished with a team-high 15 points and added eight rebounds with one steal. Van Vorst followed with 14 points, two rebounds and a steal. Walton added 10 points, six rebounds, a block and three steals.
 
SUNY New Paltz is back on the floor Tuesday when it travels across the Mid-Hudson Bridge to face Vassar College at 7 p.m.

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