Cortland, NY — The title defense continues for the State University of New York at New Paltz.
 
Propelled by a dominating third quarter, the Hawks knocked off its conference rival SUNY Geneseo in the SUNYAC semifinals, 53-41 Friday night. The win pits a re-match between SUNY New Paltz and top-seeded Cortland, which defeated Oneonta in its semifinal matchup Friday.

"Obviously they are excited," said Hawks coach Jamie Seward. "It's been a two-year build-up to get to this game in a lot of ways, so of course they're excited and probably a little anxious, but that's what makes it fun."

The Knights got out in front early with six points to start the quarter with SUNY New Paltz going scoreless through the opening four minutes until Seward subbed in Jenny Walton and Abby Korzekwinski off the bench. Walton made an immediate impact and scored the first points of the game for the Hawks on a drive through the lane. Maddie Gillis then quickly got the difference to one, swishing a straight-on 3-pointer off a kick out by Graci Serravillo. Brianna Fitzgerald officially gave her team their first lead, which they never relinquished the rest of the game on pull-up jumper from the foul line to push her team ahead, 7-6 with more than four minutes left in the quarter.
 
SUNY New Paltz scored 11 unanswered points until Geneseo found the bottom of the hoop two minutes later on a layup by Lauren Romito to cut the lead, 11-8 entering the second quarter.
 
Each team struggled offensively in the second with the Hawks hitting 4-for-19 in the period and the Knights making 4-for-9 from the floor. Geneseo crept back in and got within one twice in the quarter, including after a layup by Mackenzie Reigle on the block, but Gillis knocked down a big-time 3-pointer off an assist by Victoria Venus to extend the advantage to four. The momentum carried on the defensive end, as SUNY New Paltz forced a miss on a jumper by Reigle with Fitzgerald running out the defensive board to then earn a quick two in transition. The Knights had the final say of the period, however, as Kiley Snow hit from behind the arc to cut the score, 21-18 at halftime.

The Hawks nearly added on in the final seconds of the first half, as Madison Mullman picked off a pass and was about to score an easy transition layup with a second to spare, but an inadvertent buzzer sounded ahead of the game clock, which forced Mullman into an earlier shot than intended that hit off the side of the rim and out of play to solidify the three-point difference at the break.

"The play at the end of the half where the horn went off and cost us a basket really helped us," Seward said. "It gave me some ammunition to say look, the way we are playing, we are allowing that to happen and matter and end your season. Whether it was that or that we just made some shots, they came out and played a very good six or seven minutes to open up the half."

 
 
SUNY New Paltz then completely flipped the game in the third quarter and played some of its best defense all season. The Hawks allowed the Knights just nine attempts from the field in the period and held them without a basket as their three points scored all came from the foul line, while forcing them into eight turnovers — nearly half their game average heading into the matchup.

Van Vorst ignited the SUNY New Paltz offense with another make from the perimeter and then added another point, getting to the foul line next time down the floor. Fitzgerald piled on, swishing a fade away baseline jumper following a turnover by Geneseo on the defensive end. Another good defensive stand, with Venus getting a tip of a pass inside and Serravillo picking up the loose ball for the steal, led to Serravillo going coast-to-coast to push the lead to 11. After the Knights were hit with a traveling violation, then a steal by Fitzgerald and a double-dribble called on Geneseo's Taylor Hansen, the Hawks flexed their advantage to 13. The Knights found their first points of the period with 5:10 to play on a made free throw by Hannah Stockman.
 
Fitzgerald answered a play later, after picking the pocket of Hansen and going coast-to-coast with a steal and a fast-break bucket. Van Vorst got to the foul line next time down the floor, hitting both attempts, before draining a 3-pointer to bring the advantage to 19 with 3:16 to go in the quarter. 
The Knights added two more points from the foul line, but Serravlllo countered with another bucket to keep her team's 19-point lead entering the fourth.

"We struggled finishing in the paint, but it seemed like everyone kind of took turns getting us a basket to keep us in the lead even though we weren't finishing," Seward said. 
 
Gillis officially gave SUNY New Paltz a 20-point lead, after bullying her way to the basket and finishing off the glass as the shot clock winded down with nine minutes left in the quarter. Stockman knocked down her shot from 3 for the Knights for the first basket by Geneseo since the 1:24 mark of the second quarter.
 
The made shot revived the Knights offense as they earned back-to-back baskets in the paint to trim the lead down to 42-33. Van Vorst broke up the Knights run though on an acrobatic, underhand finish off the glass to re-establish an 11-point cushion with 3:28 to play, which proved critical as Geneseo struggled to get back within single digits down the stretch.

Gillis, Fitlzgerald and Van Vorst each finished with 14 points, followed by eight from Serravillo. Gillis added five rebounds and an assist after shooting 5-for-12 in 34 minutes, while Fitzgerald led the Hawks on the glass with eight rebounds to go along with two assists and two steals after shooting 6-for-14 in 33 minutes. Van Vorst knocked down 3-for-5 from 3-point range and added five rebounds in 23 minutes, while Serravillo four rebounds, a steal and a team-leading three assists.
 
SUNY New Paltz tips-off against hosting Cortland Saturday at 4 p.m. The Hawks will look to claim their third-straight SUNYAC Championship and fifth title in the last six seasons. The two teams split the regular season series with each team garnering a win on their home floor.  


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