Poughkeepsie, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz went on the road and faced hosting Vassar College Tuesday and fell, 59-58.
 
The Hawks (3-3 overall) had the ball in the final seconds after forcing a turnover off a full court press, but the attempt from midrange was just off resulting in SUNY New Paltz's second straight loss.
 
In the opening 10 minutes, the Hawks took a 21-15 lead over the Brewers with Jenny Walton and Brianna Fitzgerald combining for 12 points in the period. Vassar came back to tie the game at 27-all about two minutes left on a 7-0 run with the Brewers taking the lead. Walton re-gained the advantage for the Hawks finishing strong in the paint, taking the contact earning the bucket and the foul and made the ensuing free throw to help her team to a 31-28 lead, which remained until halftime.
 
Out of the break, Vassar re-took the lead in the opening minutes and the score went back-and-forth with three different lead changes. The Brewers re-took control with about a minute and a half left in the quarter on a 3-ball by Sierra McDermed, which led to a 8-1 run to end the period that led to a 48-42 lead entering the fourth.
 
Fitzgerald hit a huge 3-pointer to push the Hawks ahead, 55-54 which led to a timeout by the Brewers. Out of the timeout, the Brewers found space for a shot from the top of the arc that rung in and out with Fitzgerald there to rip down the rebound. Lexi Van Vorst created a turnover two possessions later, picking the pocket of Vassar's Eliza Srinivasan leading to a foul on Graci Serravillo who made 1-of-2 from the foul line.  
With 1:11 to go, the Brewers picked off a pass by Van Vorst and capitalized on the other end with a swish from the corner to re-up the advantage, 57-56 with less than a minute left leading to a timeout by SUNY New Paltz. Out of the timeout, Van Vorst drove and hit off glass to re-take the advantage for the Hawks at 58-57 with 22 seconds remaining.
 
Following a timeout by Vassar, Bella Tawney took her turn at the basket, earning two at the foul line making both to push the score to 59-58 Brewers. Fitzgerald had a look underneath that came up short that led to the Brewers ball underneath. SUNY New Paltz put the pressure on, on the ensuing in-bound forcing a long pass over the top that was intercepted by Fitzgerald to give SUNY New Paltz a decent look with seconds remaining, but the attempt came up just short resulting in the 59-58.
 
Fitzgerald led the team with 19 points with eight rebounds and three steals in 29 minutes, while making 7-for-10 from the foul line. Serravillo followed with 13 points and five rebounds with Walton added 11 points, four rebounds and one block.
 
SUNY New Paltz returns to the court Nov. 29 to begin SUNYAC play on the road at SUNY Oneonta for a 5:30 p.m. game.

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