Oswego, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz secured its eighth-straight win Tuesday night on the road at SUNY Oswego, 54-44, propelled by a stout defensive team performance.
 
The Hawks (16-3 overall, 11-1 SUNYAC) allowed a season-low 44 points and tied a season-best in allowing only 15 made field goals, while keeping the Lakers to just 28 percent shooting from the field.  
 
It was a low scoring first half from both teams as they shot less than 26 percent from the field with the Hawks making 9-for-36 and the Lakers 6-for-26 from the field, respectively, but Oswego held the advantage from the perimeter hitting 37.5 percent while SUNY New Paltz connected on just 1-for-9.
 
The Hawks worked to an early 6-2 lead, but Oswego re-gained control with five-straight points to earn a 7-6 advantage at the first media timeout midway through the quarter. Out of the break, Madison Mullman pushed SUNY New Paltz back in front on a drive and finish.
 
Morgan Hammell and Semaiah Williams helped extend the difference to five, as Hammell got her hand on a pass in the backcourt off the Hawks press to force a turnover. Williams capitalized on the offensive end, posting up in the paint and finishing with a left-handed floater.
The Lakers kept the score close in the last three minutes of the half. Hammell kicked out a pass to Williams on the perimeter with the fifth-year senior swishing to get her team a 21-16 lead with more than two minutes left. SUNY New Paltz anchored defensively, forcing back-to-back turnovers, first on a charge by Hammell then on a big block by Brianna Fitzgerald but couldn't answer with points on their offensive possession and the difference remained at five.
 
SUNY New Paltz turned the ball over on its last possession of the half, called on a moving screen with 16 seconds left, which gave the Lakers an opportunity to tighten the score. The hosts took advantage as Zhane Holmes hit from 3-point range just before the game clock expired, creating a 22-19 game at the break.
 
Holmes led all scorers after the first half, totaling 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting, including 3-for-5 from behind the arc. However, the Hawks kept Holmes in check in the second half. She made just one basket in the third, and tallied four points late in the fourth quarter to keep her team in the game.
 
Fitzgerald gave SUNY New Paltz its largest lead with about 2:30 left in the third quarter, as she scored back-to-back baskets. First, on a drive and finish through the lane and then off a stop on the defensive end with Walton pushing up the floor to Fitzgerald who scored in transition to bring the lead to 37-24.
 
A nine-point difference entering the fourth, Oswego brought the score down to 39-34 with more than six minutes left. Williams answered though for the Hawks to end the run, as she connected from the corner for 3. Fitzgerald forced a turnover on the ensuing Lakers possession and Julia Sabatino capitalized with a nice finger-role finish off glass to re-up the double-digit advantage, leading to an Oswego timeout.  
The Lakers got within nine with more than two minutes left, but Fitzgerald responded with a base-line jumper to create an 11-point cushion. Holmes continued giving her team life, as she forced a steal before hitting a fade-away jumper with about 1:30 left to create another nine-point game.
 
Oswego started intentionally fouling to slow down the clock and SUNY New Paltz calmly hit from the charity stripe in the final minute, as Hammell and Sabatino both made a pair of attempts to sustain a double-figure lead for their team. The Hawks then closed out, fittingly, with a defensive stand as they forced the Lakers into two tough attempts from distance in the final 30 seconds. The Lakers eventually earned a trip to the line on back-to-back offensive rebounds but missed both to ultimately finalize the 54-44 outcome.
 
Fitzgerald led the way with 18 points off 8-for-15 shooting in 38 minutes, while adding a team-leading nine rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals. Hammell followed with 12 points in 36 minutes, adding two rebounds, an assist and a team-leading three steals. Sabatino played the full 40 minutes and did a little bit of everything, as she added five points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal.
 
Holmes led all scorers as she finished with 19, but no other Laker had more than six points.
 
SUNY New Paltz returns to action this weekend, hosting Brockport and Geneseo on Friday and Saturday, respectively, in the Hawk Center. Saturday will serve as senior day for the Hawks who will honor seniors Fitzgerald, Walton, Sabatino, Williams, Mullman, Abby Korzekwinski and Erin Cooney prior to the game. Tip-off against the Knights and Golden Eagles are scheduled for 2 and 5:30 p.m., respectively.   


************** 
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.