Hoboken, NJ — The biggest regular season win in program history was propelled by the upset of the year in Division III basketball Friday night.
 
Not many in the country thought the State University of New York at New Paltz had a chance against the reigning national runner ups Friday night in Hoboken, New Jersey. The No. 3 nationally ranked Christopher Newport Captains entered the opening matchup of the Stevens Holiday Tournament at a perfect 12-0, boasting one of the best defenses in the country, but the Hawks, determined to shake off a disappointing one-point loss at home to Ithaca three weeks prior, were more than confident and prepared to hand the perennial power their first loss of the season — and did so, in an exciting 73-69 final to put a blemish on Christopher Newport's perfect season, while improving to 6-3 on the year.
 
"It was definitely a long couple weeks," said SUNY New Paltz coach Jamie Seward. "Talking to family during the holidays and having that taste in your mouth for that long, it was certainly good to see them respond in this way."
 
The most important takeaway in the loss to the Bombers was to come out and attack from the jump and the Hawks made sure to do just that. Walton helped ignite the offense, hitting her first of three from the perimeter before finishing with her left in the paint to create a 5-all stalemate early in the first. Madison Mullman checked in for SUNY New Paltz and officially gave her team the first lead of the day after sinking a 3-pointer to push the Hawks ahead, 8-7 with 5:30 to go.
 
Christopher Newport tied the score at 11 with about 70 seconds left in the first and nearly took the lead on an errant pass by Gabby Palladino, but the fifth-year senior hustled down the floor to force a jump-ball. The play gave possession back to her team, which resulted in a make by Julia Sabatino in the paint to re-up SUNY New Paltz's lead by two. The Captains knotted the score once more in the period, but Seward re-entered his starters in the final seconds with the ball underneath, as Brianna Fitzgerald capitalized to help the Hawks to another two-point lead entering the following 10 minutes of play.
 
SUNY New Paltz kept the momentum in the second quarter and created a six-point lead at 21-15 with Christopher Newport answering at the foul line with eight minutes left, but Morgan Hammell responded for the Hawks by swishing on an open 3-pointer to create the largest lead of the half for SUNY New Paltz at 24-17.
The Hawks did a good job limiting offensive boards by the bigger-sized Captains in the first half, but Christopher Newport collected six off the offensive glass in the second quarter helping them dig out of the seven-point deficit and ultimately climb back within two with six minutes remaining in the period. Hammell quickly responded though, as she drained another shot from the arc to create a 27-24 cushion.

The Captains tied the score at 27 and then again at 29 after an unforced turnover in the halfcourt by SUNY New Paltz, but the Hawks pushed quickly and re-upped the advantage. Second chance opportunities plagued SUNY New Paltz in the final minutes of the half however, as a 3-pointer off a Christopher Newport offensive rebound trimmed the difference to one with less than a minute to go before Alexia Lindsey gave the Captains their first lead since the opening minutes of the game, picking a pass and going coast-to-coast to push hear team ahead, 36-35. Sabatino had the final say for the Hawks, driving to the hoop in the final seconds and earning a trip to the line where she hit both to give SUNY New Paltz a 36-35 advantage heading into the break.
 
The second half matched the first, as the score was tied five times with four different lead changes. The Hawks opened up the final 20 minutes with tough defense as they forced back-to-back turnovers and didn't allow the Captains a basket until 4:49 remaining in the period, resulting in a 44-40 lead, but a 7-0 run pushed Christopher Newport back in front at 47-44 with just more than three minutes remaining in the quarter.
 
However, like they had all season, the duo of Jenny Walton and Fitzgerald stepped up to turn the game. Walton halted the momentum, staying aggressive and answering with a traditional 3-point play, getting her basket to go off glass while taking contact and after the ensuing free throw tied the score at 47. Fitzgerald then picked off a pass on the ensuing possession, going coast-to-coast for the easy finish to regain the lead for the Hawks. After a defensive stop, she drained a 3-ball following good ball movement by SUNY New Paltz and in the matter of about 70 seconds the Hawks held onto a 52-47 advantage with 2:13 left.
 
The two teams then traded baskets, but Walton and Fitzgerald continued to answer with buckets of their own to help their team to a 57-51 lead entering the fourth.
 
"I certainly wouldn't trade them for ANYONE," Seward said. "It felt like Jenny would make a shot every time they closed the gap or tied it, and Bri owned the last few minutes."
 
SUNY New Paltz led by seven early in the fourth thanks to another trey by Fitzgerald, but slowly the Captains came back to knot the score again, first at 63-, then at 65-all with the Hawks going cold offensively during the early spurt. Hannah Kaloi put Christopher Newport back in front after two made free throws, forcing starting forward Abby Korzewkinski, who looked to get a piece of the ball on the play, to her fifth and final foul. Walton trimmed the difference to one after she earned a trip to the line, slashing through the paint, but the Captains extended, making the quick pass off the help to score underneath, allowing them to hold a 69-66 lead with less than two minutes left.

It was the last points the No. 3 Captains would see though the rest of the night.  
After missing on the offensive end on their ensuing possession, Fitzgerald hustled to put pressure on Kaloi and forced a turnover at midcourt. She then got the ball back in her hands and pulled up from well behind the perimeter and knocked down a game-tying 3-pointer with 1:15 left to revive the Hawks chances at the upset. Semaiah Williams then, who stepped in for Korzekwinski, blocked the shot of Kaloi with Fitzgerald snatching the defensive board. Fitzgerald found the ball back in her hands and took her man on 1-v-1 and earned a trip to the line where she made 1-of-2 to put SUNY New Paltz up, 71-69 with 38 seconds left leading to a Captains timeout.
 
Out of timeout, Christopher Newport inbounded and had Katy Rader on the block, but good help defense forced Rader to try and kick the ball out, but Walton was there to read the pass and earn the steal where she was then fouled with 29 seconds left. She also made 1-of-2 from the line to create a two-point difference. SUNY New Paltz then anchored down defensively and made back-to-back stops in the waning seconds, forcing the Captains to intentionally foul Fitzgerald with two seconds left. The senior All-American then iced the game with two makes from the charity stripe solidifying the four-point win.
 
"We talked about before the game how you can't really know anything about anyone until it's been tested," Seward said. "CNU is one of the elite programs in the country, so a good test, and while we are far from perfect, we persevered and we didn't blink, so I'd say we passed and have a better idea about who we are now."
 
Prior to Friday night, the Captains had won 71 consecutive regular season games and fell for just the third time since 2019 when they lost to then No. 1 Tufts University. They had won 31-straight last season until losing in the national title game.
 
"It's definitely the highest ranked opponent we've beaten so big for that reason, and let's be honest they haven't lost a regular season game in years, so yeah, pretty big [win]," Seward said.
 
SUNY New Paltz out-shot the Captains, 38.2 to 35.4 percent and held the advantage on the glass, 51-46. Christopher Newport forced 27 turnovers to 21 for the Hawks off 18 steals with SUNY New Paltz creating 13. Kaloi was the team's top scorer, recording 21 points on 6-for-12 shooting with nine rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
 
"Defensive rebounding has been a major issue for us and we've been trying to put some time into it at practice over the last couple of days," said Seward, "And I do think we did a better job today than we have been doing and it was crucial because they really go hard to the glass."
 
Fitzgerald and Walton scored 31 of the Hawks' final 36 points in the second half and combined for 48 points. Fitzgerald ended with 27 points in 34 minutes off 10-for-24 shooting, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range with 11 rebounds, two assists and four steals. Walton had 21 points in 35 minutes on 7-for-17 shooting with two rebounds, two assists and a steal. Hammell was two points shy of a double-double as she followed with eight points and 10 rebounds to go along with three assists, three steals and a block in 36 minutes. Korzekwinski finished with 11 boards, four points and two steals in 26 minutes.

"Bri really took over late," Seward said. "I don't remember exactly when it was or how many she had, but it was like 15-16 and then I looked at the box score and she ends up with 27. Obviously the 3 to tie the game, [and] that steal at half court was enormous as well."
 
The 27-point performance put Fitzgerald just 14 shy of reaching 1,000 for her career as the Hawks enter day two of the Stevens Holiday Tournament Saturday where they hope to continue their momentum against Middlebury College. The Panthers knocked off the hosting Ducks in the early game Friday night, 65-42. 

Tip-off between SUNY New Paltz and the Panthers is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Canavan Arena.


************** 
To stay up to date with everything #NPHawks be sure to follow us on Twitter at @nphawks, Instagram and Facebook at @newpaltzhawks, and subscribe to our  Youtube channel,  New Paltz Hawks.