New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz took the season series over Fredonia State Saturday in the Hawk Center, 88-48.

The Hawks improved to 15-3 overall and 10-1 in the SUNYAC in the dominating win. The Blue Devils (8-10, 3-8) played SUNY New Paltz tight the first time around in an eight-point game and opened up with a 5-0 lead to start, but the Hawks rolled after finally putting in their first bucket of the day on a finish at the rim by Brianna Fitzgerald with 6:40 left in the first quarter. 

After forcing a turnover on a shot clock violation, SUNY New Paltz took its first lead capitalizing on the opposite end with another made basket by Fitzgerald. Fredonia answered with a made triple to re-gain control, but Jenny Walton tied the score at eight-all as she got to her left and finished at the hoop. From there, the Hawks scored five-straight points, which turned into a 13-3 run after a made trey, followed by a steal and finish by Walton on the fast-break to go up 13-8. 

Abby Korzekwinski helped create a 10-point cushion in the final minute of the period, playing tight man defense and ripping the ball from Mary Culeton for the steal, which resulted in another fast-break bucket with Hannah Vanderzee the beneficiary as time expired to push the score, 24-14. 

Defense continued leading to offense for SUNY New Paltz in the second. To start the period, Korzekwinski again played stingy defensively, forcing an errant pass that was picked by Walton who found Morgan Hammell up the floor for an easy two points. Walton then connected again in the lane to extend the Hawks lead to 15 three minutes into the quarter. 
 

Walton started getting hot and hit from the corner for 3 and following another turnover on a shot clock violation, Fitzgerald answered with an and-1 on the following offensive possession. Walton closed out the quarter as she weaved her way through the lane and hit on a floater off the glass with the game clock winding down to create a 50-20 lead at the break. 
"We started off a little sloppy in the first quarter and we came together as a team," said Hawks senior guard Julia Sabatino. "We've been playing really well together, passing the ball and yesterday we had 30 assists on 32 of our baskets, so we knew we just had to stick together and just keep passing the ball and we knew it was going to come for us."

As good as the Hawks were offensively in the first half — shooting nearly 60 percent from the field and 63 percent from 3-point range — the Blue Devils couldn't get any momentum going on that side of the floor whatsoever, missing 22 attempts in the first half. In the second period alone, they made just 2-for-18 and shot just 21.4 percent from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. 

SUNY New Paltz kept the pressure on in the second half and extended its advantage to 73-34 entering the fourth after Walton connected again from 3-point range with Hammell adding a free throw to end the period. 

Sabtino gave the Hawks their largest lead of the game with just more than three minutes to go, taking advantage of an offensive board by Erin Cooney with Hammell dishing to Sabtino underneath for two to create a 44-point advantage. Fredonia answered with a trip to the line where it made 1-of-2 then hit from 3-point range in the final minute but was countered by a Mullman triple to solidify the 40-point outcome. 

"That's what we've been working on throughout the season is being able to put teams away early," Sabatino said. "We've struggled a little bit in the beginning of the season, but we really have come together as a team. Our defense has picked up a lot. Everyone is really focused in and we take our scout really seriously, and that has helped us so far."

SUNY New Paltz totaled a season-high in baskets made, shooting 36-for-68 from the floor for a season-high of 53 percent and posted 20-plus assists for the third straight time this season, finishing with 25 on the day.

Walton led all scorers with 19 points on 8-for-15 shooting in 21 minutes, while adding five rebounds, three assists, three steals and one block. Fitzgerald followed with 15 points in 19 minutes on 5-for-9 shooting with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sabatino totaled 11 points, going 5-for-7 from the floor, while registering four rebounds, two steals and a game-high seven assists. Hammell and Vanderzee each recorded 10 points apiece to round out the Hawks scoring leaders. 

"I think we're climbing towards that point. We keep working, we keep getting better every single practice and that's the goal. We want to keep working toward meeting that nameless, faceless opponent in March," added Sabatino. 

SUNY New Paltz is back in action Tuesday, going on the road to face Oswego State for a 5:30 p.m. matchup looking for another SUNYAC series sweep. 

Post-Game Featuring Julia Sabtino



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