New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz opened up at home against SUNYAC counterpart Fredonia State and locked up a 57-41 victory in the Hawk Center Friday night for its second straight win.
 
The Hawks offense was led by graduate student Julia Sabatino and freshman Sophia Bonnell who combined for 29 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Bonnell totaled a career-high in the victory, hitting 4-for-9 from 3-point range.
 
"It feels really good, especially being the home opener too," Bonnell said. "It was definitely a great team win. I couldn't have done it without Sabs and everyone else, drive-and-kick, drive-and-kick."
 
SUNY New Paltz missed its first five shots before Sabatino hit on a 3-pointer to get within one in the opening minutes of the game. She eventually gave her team the first lead of the night midway through the quarter, knocking down another from behind the arc. Abby Korzekwinski piled on scoring a trey off a dish from Karly Wittenbauer. Sabatino added to the run with a make in the paint, followed by an and-1 before a free throw from the Blue Devils ended the two-minute scoreless stretch to cut the score, 15-10 entering the second.
 
SUNY New Paltz never let go of the advantage for the rest of the contest and built a nine-point cushion by halftime thanks to a pair of made free throws by Wittenbauer.
 
The hosts piled on in the second half, extending to double-figures following a make by Bonnell off a feed from Hannah Vanderzee with seven minutes to go in the third. The Blue Devils came back to get within six on a make in the paint, but Korzekwinski stayed aggressive and earned a trip to the foul line where she made both on the ensuing offensive possession for the Hawks. Madison Mullman helped re-establish a double-digit lead draining a 3-ball off a nice feed by Sabatino with three minutes to go. Sierra Carter then ended the quarter with a 3 off an assist from Wittenbauer to put SUNY New Paltz up, 43-31 entering the fourth.
 
 
The Hawks flexed their lead in the fourth, making 5-for-12 from the floor in the period with three of their makes coming in the first three minutes of the period as Vanderzee pushed the score to 50-33 with seven minutes to go for SUNY New Paltz's largest lead of the night.  
Fredonia never broke through in the waning minutes, and the Hawks closed out with a Caitlin Mullen 3-pointer to end the game and finalize the 57-41 outcome.
 
SUNY New Paltz played stout defensively, holding Fredonia to less than 30 percent shooting from the field, including a minuscule, 2-for-13 from 3-point range with the Blue Devils also struggling from the foul line, connecting on 3-for-12. The Hawks, meanwhile, made 31 percent from the field, but hit 11-for-29 from behind the arc.
 
"We did a lot of film, but first we practiced really hard Wednesday and Thursday. We had a whole scout team… and that really helped because [we] ran Fredonia's offense really well and that helped us prepare for our defense," Bonnell said. "We had a couple shot clock violations which really helped, and we were just trying to hold [Fredonia's Grace Alexander] which we did."
 
Sabatino nearly ended with a double-double, finishing with 15 points, eight rebounds, three assists, one block and a steal in 36 minutes after shooting an efficient, 5-for-9 from the field, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range. Bonnell added 14 points, four rebounds and two assists in 35 minutes. Korzekwinski also narrowly missed a double-double, recording eight points and a two-leading nine rebounds.
 
"I think the momentum will definitely keep going," Bonnell added. "We have a lot of energy. We got our first bench warning today, because our bench energy was so good but definitely building off that we have Buff State tomorrow, so I think the energy going in and playing the next day will definitely help us as well."
 
The Hawks hope to add to the win column Saturday when they're back in action hosting Buffalo State in the Hawk Center at 2 p.m.

Game Highlights (video by Aiden Duran):

 
Sophia Bonnell Post-Game Interview:


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