Geneseo, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz ended its SUNYAC road trip Saturday with a 64-46 win over hosting SUNY Geneseo to remain undefeated in the conference and claiming its ninth-straight victory.
 
Lexi Van Vorst and Brianna Fitzgerald picked up where they left off Friday night where the duo helped lead the Hawks to a 69-54 victory over Brockport. They scored the opening 12 points of the game against the Knights Saturday afternoon with their team never relinquishing the advantage from that point forward.
 
SUNY New Paltz built a double-digit cushion toward the end of the first, as it patiently moved the ball around the Geneseo's zone leading to a corner 3-pointer by Madison Mullman. The Knights brought the difference down to 10 before period's end with a last second jumper at the buzzer.
 
Fitzgerald continued a dominant performance in the second, showing the skill set of what made her a Region III Rookie of the Year selection last season. The Knights continued doubling early as soon as Fitzgerald drove toward the hoop, but she still found a way to finish around the basket.
 
SUNY New Paltz pushed its lead to 14 off good ball movement and stifling defense with 3:24 to go in the quarter. Cassidy Deaver, who finished with a season-high nine points, caught a pass in the corner from Fitzgerald, drove into the lane and finished with her right to add two more on the board for the Hawks. She then forced a turnover on the ensuing possession, pressuring the Knights' Taylor Hansen at mid-court who lost her handle before getting called for a back-court violation and the turnover. SUNY New Paltz made another defensive stand next time down the floor, which led to an easy two by Jenny Walton in transition pushing the advantage to 34-20 with just more than three minutes to play.  
Geneseo worked the difference down to 11 at the half and got within seven early in the third, but Hawks coach Jamie Seward called an early timeout in the second half as his team remained scoreless four minutes into the quarter. SUNY New Paltz responded with back-to-back defensive stops, forcing the Knights deep into the shot clock and forcing up contested looks that allowed the Hawks to get out and run after snatching a defensive board. Fitzgerald was the beneficiary running the floor as her two made free throws at the five-minute mark broke the scoreless drought and propelled a 12-4 run to end the quarter.
 
Both teams struggled finding the bottom of the hoop for the next two-plus minutes until Graci Serravillo rattled in a corner 3 off more good ball movement, as Maddie Gillis found Deaver on a back-cut who then kicked out to Serravillo for the score that extended the lead back to 13.
 
The final two minutes of the third were owned by SUNY New Paltz as it continued forcing tough shots for the Knights who could not connect. Another stout defensive stand allowed the Hawks to get out on the fast break once more, which put Van Vorst on the line who sank both and pushed the lead to 47-33. Geneseo again were deep into the shot clock on the ensuing offensive possession and Fitzgerald took advantage, picking the pocket of Hansen before laying-in an easy two on the other end. Fitzgerald then sealed the quarter by sinking a long-ranged trey at the buzzer to give her team the largest lead up to that point at 52-35.
 
Three-straight points from Walton and Van Vorst brought the cushion to 20 at the start of the fourth and SUNY New Paltz maintained the comfortable lead the rest of the way. Deaver added two off a dish by Gillis to create a 21-point deficit, the largest of the game with two minutes to go before closing out on the 64-46 win.
 
The Hawks kept the Knights to their lowest scoring out-put of the season and lowest shooting percentage as well, with the hosts shooting just above 33 percent on the day. SUNY New Paltz kept its turnovers at a minimum, tying a season-low of nine, while forcing 17 turnovers on 10 steals. The Hawks also stymied Geneseo's leading scorer in 6-foot, 3-inch forward Lauren Romito who was limited to just six points and four rebounds with the senior coming off SUNYAC Weekly honors after posting back-to-back 20-plus, 10-plus rebound outings and went into the game averaging 14 points and 10 boards per game.  
Hansen finished with a team-high for the Knights with 14 points in 27 minutes, followed by Mackenzie Reigle with 13.
 
Fitzgerald was the catalyst for SUNY New Paltz, as the junior had her best statistical game of the season. She was a point shy of matching a career-high in scoring, registering 24 points on an efficient 10-for13 shooting from the field, and was two rebounds shy of a double-double, leading her team with a game-high of eight to go along with a game-high four steals, a block and an assist in a stacked stat line.
 
Walton followed with 10 points in 29 minutes, adding three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Van Vorst and Deaver added nine points each with the latter also contributing with four rebounds, an assist and a steal.

The Hawks return home with another big SUNYAC weekend on the horizon, as they'll host Oswego State and fellow conference undefeated SUNY Cortland for the first time this season. SUNY New Paltz is set to face the Red Dragons Jan. 20 at 5:30 p.m. before taking on the Lakers the following day at 2 p.m. in the Hawk Center. 

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