Plattsburgh, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz pulled out a hard-fought 70-61 road win over Plattsburgh Saturday.
 
The Hawks (11-6 overall, 10-0 SUNYAC) overcame a struggling shooting performance where they made just 26-for-71 from the floor including only 3-for-21 from behind the arc. The Cardinals also did well on the glass, shortening possessions with 29 defensive boards and ultimately out-rebounded SUNY New Paltz, 41-36 in the game. But, the Hawks played their signature swarming defense and forced the hosts into 27 turnovers that resulted in 29 points while keeping them to just 39 percent shooting from the floor.
 
Abby Korzekwinski was the catalyst for the Hawks, scoring a season-high 20 points, and was a point shy of her career-high of 21 which came her first season against the Cardinals. She added 11 rebounds to register her fourth double-double of the year, while adding two assists and three steals while shooting 8-for-13 from the floor in 37 minutes.
 
Korzekwinski gave SUNY New Paltz an eight-point lead entering the second quarter, scoring the last points of the first period to push the score to 24-16. The Hawks were limited to just eight points on four made baskets, which helped Plattsburgh climb back to tie the game at 32 by halftime.
 
The Cardinals grabbed a four-point lead early in the third and held onto the advantage until Karly Wittenbauer re-took the advantage for SUNY New Paltz with four minutes left. The junior transfer drove baseline and finished tough at the rim to earn a traditional 3-point play, tying the score at 39 following a make on the ensuing free throw.  
After a defensive stop, the Hawks worked the ball inside to Korzekwinski who landed on the free throw line where she made two to push her team ahead, 41-39. The Cardinals answered with five-straight points on consecutive possessions to go back on top by three. Hannah Vanderzee put an end to the run with a made mid-ranged jumper, but Plattsburgh stayed hot and swished from the perimeter to maintain a four-point lead with just more than a minute to go.
 
Korzekwinski added two more from the foul line to trim the difference to two entering the fourth. The Shoreham, NY native then helped her team to their first lead of the period after trailing by as many as seven in the quarter, as she got her basket to go underneath with 5:39 left to push the score to 57-55.
 
The two teams traded leads three times until Korzkewinski gave SUNY New Paltz the lead for good following a put-back with less than three minutes left. Sophia Bonnell helped secure the win as she drained a 3-pointer with a minute left.

With time winding down, the Cardinals were forced to foul after missing their next attempt from 3-point range and the Hawks iced from there after making 6-for-8 from the line in the final seconds of the game.
 
Sabatino followed Korzekwinski with 14 points on 5-for-14 shooting in 39 minutes, while adding two rebounds and a team-high four assists and five steals. Vanderzee followed with 10 points in 39 minutes, registering four rebounds, an assist and four steals.
 
SUNY New Paltz heads back home to the Hawk Center to host SUNY Oswego to close out its season series with the Lakers. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.


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