New Paltz, NY — The State University of New York New Paltz fell to Oswego at home Tuesday, 65-54.
The Hawks dropped to 11-7 overall and 10-1 in the SUNYAC after suffering their first loss against the Lakers since 2017 and breaking what was an eight-game winning streak entering the contest.
The hosts struggled guarding 6-foot, 1-inch forward Giavanna White-Principio underneath, as she finished with a game-high 25 points on 11-for-15 shooting with 15 rebounds. Oswego scored 36 of its points in the paint while adding 13 points on 72.2 percent shooting from the foul line.
SUNY New Paltz had trouble finding its shooting touch, especially from 3-point range as it made just 3-for-24 from behind the arc. It missed its first 13 shots from the field before getting a spark from
Caitlin Mullen,
Madison Mullman and
Morgan Hammell off the bench to climb back from an early seven-point deficit in the first. The Hawks ended the opening 10 minutes with five-straight points thanks to a 3-pointer by Mullen, make in the paint by
Hannah Vanderzee and a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Hammell to cut the score, 13-12 Lakers.
Sophia Bonnell scored to start the second to give SUNY New Paltz its first lead of the game. The two teams traded leads with the half ending on a banked triple by Sabatino to give the Hawks a 30-29 lead at the break.
Oswego re-took the advantage early in the third after netting another at the basket by White-Principio and although SUNY New Paltz stuck around it never regained control and trailed by seven entering the fourth.
The Hawks suffered six of their 16 turnovers in the fourth quarter and made just 6-for-17 in the period including 0-for-6 from distance which deterred the hosts from a comeback. The closest SUNY New Paltz got to the Lakers was five with four minutes left after a swish from the foul line by Korzekwinski, but Oswego answered with another layup from White-Principio to hold momentum down the stretch to close out for the win.
Vanderzee was the team's leading scorer, finishing with 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting in 28 minutes, registering seven rebounds, and a career-high five blocks, which is tied for seventh most in single-game program history.
Korzekwinski followed with eight points, seven rebounds, an assist and two steals. Sabatino finished with seven points, five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal.
SUNY New Paltz is back in action Friday and Saturday, going on the road to face Buffalo State and Fredonia, respectively.
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