New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York at New Paltz suffered its first SUNYAC loss of the season Tuesday afternoon in the Hawk Center to visiting SUNY Cortland, 60-49.
 
The loss is the first SUNYAC defeat in the Hawk Center since the Hawks dropped their only game in the SUNYAC last season to the Red Dragons, which came in the SUNYAC Championship game. Prior to that contest, they had won 20 consecutive on their home floor before falling to Ithaca earlier this year, while winning 27-straight in the regular season against conference opponents in the Hawk Center. 
 
Cortland ended the first quarter hot and took a 20-12 lead following a 10-0 run in the last three minutes of the period, making 5-for-7 in the stretch while the Hawks struggled to find the bottom of the hoop, going 0-for-5 with the Red Dragons continuing their momentum into the second. They out-scored SUNY New Paltz 14-9 in the second quarter and grabbed a 13-point lead at the half, 34-21 with the Hawks going scoreless for the last three-plus minutes before the break.
 
SUNY New Paltz's offense picked up in the second half, as they went from eight made shots in the opening 20 minutes to making 7-for-18 in the third quarter alone, but still struggled from the perimeter, going 0-for-7 in the period and finishing 3-for-17 in the game. However, it couldn't slow down the Red Dragons who netted 40 percent from the field and went 3-for-6 from behind the arc to help create a 20-point cushion entering the fourth quarter.
 
 
The Hawks gained some life midway through the fourth, as Semaiah Williams, Gabby Palladino and freshman Hannah Vanderzee provided a spark off the bench. The trio subbed in around the five-minute mark of the fourth with SUNY New Paltz down by 18 and slowly helped their team trim the deficit to 11 with just more than a minute remaining. Brianna Fitzgerald originally helped in the run, finishing in the paint with Erin Cooney adding on two minutes later with a 3-pointer. Williams cut the difference to 13, getting her put-back to go, while Vanderzee lifted the score to 60-49 after she ripped down an offensive board and got her shot to fall underneath the basket. The offense stalled there however, as Cortland called a timeout to regroup and didn't allow another Hawk basket in the final 90 seconds of action and closed out with the double-digit win.  
Fitzgerald led SUNY New Paltz with 10 points and seven rebounds, while adding three blocks and two steals. Jenny Walton and Abby Korzekwinski followed with nine points apiece with Walton registering four rebounds, an assist, a block and three steals. Williams recorded a team-leading nine boards with two blocks, an assist and four points. Julia Sabatino tallied four points, seven rebounds, two assists and three steals.
 
The Hawks dropped to 8-3 overall and 3-1 in the SUNYAC as they suffered their second loss at home on the year. Cortland lifted itself atop the league standings with the victory, improving to 9-3 overall and 5-0 in the SUNYAC. 
 
SUNY New Paltz returns to SUNYAC competition this weekend, going on the road to face Fredonia and Buffalo State Friday and Saturday, respectively. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. against the Blue Devils and 2 p.m. against the Bengals. 

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