Oswego, NY — A pair of freshmen standouts led the State University of New York New Paltz to a comfortable 68-51 win over hosting Oswego Tuesday.
 
After a month hiatus from SUNYAC play, the Hawks returned to conference competition Tuesday with a tough task on the road against Oswego. Freshman guard Sierra Carer helped keep SUNY New Paltz afloat in the first half with a team-leading nine points after the first 20 minutes with fellow freshman guard Sophia Bonnell putting the finishing touches on a highlight performance where she knocked down a career-high 8-for-12 from 3-point range to help her team end a three-game losing streak and push the Hawks to 3-0 in SUNYAC play.
 
Carter gave SUNY New Paltz its first lead of the game with four minutes left in the first quarter and the Hawks never trailed from that point forward. Carter connected on an open baseline jumper following good ball movement from the five on the floor and then swished from 3-point range off a nifty touch pass from Hannah Vanderzee recognizing the open Carter in the corner to give the visitors an 11-10 advantage.
 
SUNY New Paltz rolled to an 11-0 run, helped by four turnovers in the stretch by the Lakers. Carter extended the advantage to eight on a steal and was rewarded with a find by Julia Sabatino as she pushed up the floor to Carter who laid in an easy two in transition. Sabatino capped the surge with a free throw with 1:11 left in the period. Oswego finally ended the scoreless streak at the buzzer to cut the score to 19-12 entering the second.
 
The Hawks struggled from the floor in the following quarter, making just 3-for-20 in the period and 1-for-10 from 3-point range as the Lakers made ground and cut the score to 26-22 at halftime.
 
Osewgo got within one twice to start the third, but Bonnell began heating up from beyond the arc. The Horseheads, NY native capitalized on a hard-fought offensive board by Sabatino, hitting on a trey to build a six-point cushion with six minutes to go. After Vanderzee was forced to go to the bench early, suffering her fourth foul, SUNY New Paltz went scoreless for two minutes before Bonnell connected again from 3-point range, making the Lakers pay for leaving her open on a find by Karly Wittenbauer.
 
 
Bonnell again was left open, this time in the opposite corner, and was found by Madison Mullman on a kickout. The freshman swished on the distance attempt and re-upped SUNY New Paltz's lead to six at 42-36 with 2:30 left in the period.
 
The Hawks ended the quarter with seven unanswered points, as Sabatino forced a turnover on a steal and pushed up the floor looking for Bonnell who hit over a ball screen to give her team an 11-point advantage. Mullman forced one last turnover for Oswego, stepping in to take a charge to help her team hold onto a 49-38 advantage entering the fourth.  
Sabatino scored on consecutive plays to answer opening points from the Lakers to begin the final 10 minutes, managing to maintain the double-digit cushion for SUNY New Paltz. Mullman forced another turnover with her third charge of the game before adding two on the offensive end as she banked in a runner in the lane to fatten the lead to 13 with about seven minutes left. Abby Korzekwinski added on with a put-back before Bonnell took over in the last six minutes in what turned into a rout.
 
Bonnell drained a 3 well off the line right in front of the visitor's bench off a kickout from Korzekwinski to get the lead up to 16 at 60-44. The next time down the floor, Mullman gave the ball to Bonnell again with Oswego leaving too much space for the hot-hand as the first year sank the 3-ball to cement a career-high on the night.
 
Back-to-back baskets by Mullman and Korzekwinski gave the Hawks their largest lead of 22 with less than three minutes left, all but sealing the win.
 
Bonnell finished with a game- and career-high 24 points with a career-high eight made 3's while adding four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Carter followed with 11 points on an efficient 5-for-10 shooting in 33 minutes with six rebounds and two steals.
 
Mullman added 10 points, two rebounds, three assists and a steal in 23 minutes off the bench. Sabatino nearly finished with a double-double, adding nine points, a game-high 10 rebounds — seven of which were on the offensive glass — with a game-high five assists, four steals and one block. Korzekwinski followed with eight points, seven rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes.
 
SUNY New Paltz looks to stay undefeated in conference play when it resumes action Saturday on the road against Catskill Cup rival Oneonta. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.


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.