Williamstown, MA — The State University of New York at New Paltz went on the road and faced No. 15 Williams College Tuesday night and played the hosting Ephs tough throughout 40 minutes.
 
Up by a basket entering halftime, the Hawks (10-11 overall) maintained the advantage until midway through the second half with Williams connecting on a lead-changing 3-pointer with just more than five minutes left that allowed them to get out in front and hold on to claim a 63-57 win.  
 
Solomon Neuhaus, Sean St. Lucia and Isaiah Bien-Aise carried SUNY New Paltz in the first half, combining to score 24 of its 37 points with 10 made buckets between the trio. After trading leads early in the first half, St. Lucia connected on a 3-pointer with 12 minutes to go, which gave the Hawks a five-point cushion. The Ephs tied the score at 20 near the eight-minute mark of the first, but Neuahus answered with an and-1 following a steal by Jonah Bevacqua. Neuhaus came up big again after Williams trimmed the difference to one two minutes later, as the Plattsburgh, NY native buried a shot from 3 to re-up a four-point advantage.
 
SUNY New Paltz continued staying in front down the stretch before the break until a basket underneath tied the score once more at 35-all, but St. Lucia responded as he got into the paint and finished to boost his team up by two.  
The Hawks led by as many as eight in the second half, which came four minutes into the period following a bucket in the lane by Blondo with St. Lucia there on the dish. SUNY New Paltz stayed in front until 5:37 remaining, after Alex Lee drained an attempt from behind the arc. Lee hit again after the Ephs earned a defensive stop and although the Hawks got within one twice in the final minutes, including with less than 60 seconds left on a basket in the paint by Frazier, they couldn't regain control.
 
Following Frazier's basket, Williams called a timeout and worked the clock down to 26 seconds before finding Declan Porter for 3. The made trey all but put the game away, as SUNY New Paltz was forced to intentionally foul and the Ephs made their attempts from the foul line to seal the victory and improve to 20-3 on the year.
 
Blondo led SUNY New Paltz with 14 points, shooting a productive 6-for-12 from the field with six rebounds and a team-high four steals. Neuhuas followed with 11 points, all coming in the second half, in 14 minutes off the bench. St. Lucia followed with nine points, three rebounds, a steal and a team-leading four assists.
 
The Hawks are back on the floor Friday and Saturday for their last regular season games in the Hawk Center as they host Geneseo and Brockport. They tip-off against the Knights Friday at 5:30 p.m. and the Golden Eagles Saturday at 4 p.m.

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