University Heights, OH — The run came to an end Saturday in Cleveland.
 
The State University of New York New Paltz, following a program-most 26-wins, its eighth SUNYAC title, automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament and ninth appearance in the big dance, saw its 2026 campaign come to an end against a hot-shooting No. 11 John Carroll team Saturday in the DeCarlo Varsity Center, falling in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to the Blue Streaks, 74-54.
 
"Tough night against a really good opponent," said Hawks coach Jamie Seward. "Thought we had a pretty good game plan and thought we executed it pretty well in the first half [but] we didn't score. We didn't execute our offensive game plan great and didn't score as well and we maybe left some points out there. And they shot the ball really well in the third quarter. We made some mistakes defensively and we had a hard time keeping the ball out of the paint. Carly [Perusek] plays so hard — [Perusek] and so does ours [Karly Wittenbauer]. She plays really, really, hard and she really changed the game. We had a hard time keeping the ball out of the paint and that forced some help situations and then they got hot from three in that third quarter and that was really the difference in the game."
 
Thanks to the efforts of two-time All-American Brianna Fitzgerald, SUNY New Paltz kept the game tight through the first half, but a 26-point third quarter from hosting John Caroll that included a 4-for-6 shooting performance from the arc in the period changed the game. Meanwhile, the Hawks, battling foul trouble, didn't have enough offensively to mount a comeback in the end.
 
"It really started with the ball going inside or us trying to keep the ball from going inside," Seward said. "Whether it was just straight posting up or off the ball screens, and they were slipping that and we were getting caught not being able to get around and that forced us into help situations, and they moved the ball around and we were kind of scrambling at that point on the back end. They have a lot of kids that can make shots. The end of the first half it wasn't their primary shooters. In the third quarter we kind of let those two [Ava Ryncarz and Graci Semptimphelter] get loose a little bit. They aren't going to miss many when you make mistakes like that, when you give them open shots like that."
 
 
The Hawks stayed close through the first 20 minutes of action, as they were successful in getting behind an aggressive Blue Streak defense. Fitzgerald facilitated the offense as well as carried the bulk of the scoring, as she assisted a cutting Sierra Carter to end the first to trim the deficit to 13-12 entering the second quarter.
 
With SUNY New Paltz starting forward Karly Wittenbauer in early foul trouble, Summer Perry subbed in at the start of the second quarter and contributed on the offensive end immediately, connecting on a mid-ranged jumper to keep the difference within one. Fitzgerald found Carter again on a backdoor cut, but John Carroll hit from 3-point range to create a 22-18 cushion midway through the second. Fitzgerald answered, though, as the Blue Streaks gave her too much room to square up a sink a triple to get her team within one once again.  
The hosts moved the ball quickly, which helped open up their perimeter shooting resulting in consecutive makes from the arc to push the lead to seven with 20 seconds to go in the half. SUNY New Paltz held for the final shot of the period with Carter putting up a 3-point attempt that was off the rim. Fitzgerald ripped down the offensive board and added a tough put-back to trim the deficit to 30-25 at the break.
 
John Carroll came out hot to start the second half, as it knocked down back-to-back open 3's to extend the lead to 10 early in the third, leading to a timeout by Seward with eight minutes still to play in the period. The hosts connected on a mid-ranged jumper for the first points out of the timeout. Fitzgerald continued willing her team to stay close. She ripped down an offensive board for and and-1 opportunity. She missed on the free throw, but Macie Perry was there for another offensive board for SUNY New Paltz. Fitzgerald then came flying out of nowhere for the offensive board off a Perry miss and then sailed in again off a Hannah Vanderzee miss, out-hustling the entire floor to eventually earn two from the line to add points for her team with five to go in the quarter.
 
SUNY New Paltz struggled getting a stop on the other end, as the Blue Streaks countered with six straight points before Fitzgerald put an end to the run with points in the paint, taking advantage of a steal from Summer Perry. John Carroll continued to stay hot though, and they brought the lead to 20 entering the fourth following one last make in the final seconds by Perusek.
 
The Hawks couldn't get enough stops to cut into the double-digit deficit in the fourth. Fitzgerald fouled out with about five minutes to go in the fourth and the game was all but over from that point forward as the graduate student gave everything she had and left more on the floor. With their leader deemed to the bench, the Hawks offense stalled and they succumbed to the 20-point loss to a talented top program in the Blue Streaks.
 
 
"We only have 10 active players right now so that in itself is really difficult to have a season with 10 players," Fitzgerald said. "Coming off an injury with the uncertainty, we had our sharpshooter [Caitlin Mullen] tear her ACL actually right at the beginning of the year. I think that every day was a battle, especially for the freshmen. It is a long, grueling and tedious season and I think that they were able to push through every single thing because we asked them to, and they were able to rise to everything we asked them to do.
 
"It was difficult throughout a majority of the season, but we really jelled," Fitzgerald continued.
"Something we've always said is we find a way to win. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get that done tonight, but I think going forward that is the phrase of this team. The grit that we have shown, me and Karly and Hannah as leaders, I think that is going to stay with them throughout their entire careers. I hope that when they step on the floor again, if they are not running hard enough, they'll say 'would Bri and Karly allow this?' I think that they will take that with them throughout their careers. I hope that we have left that mark on them."   
The loss closes the book on a hall of fame career for Fitzgerald who ends her collegiate basketball journey not only the best to ever suit up for the Hawks but solidified herself as one of the best in the players in the country throughout her four years on the court. She finishes her career with a multitude of individual accolades, along with being the winningest player in Hawks history after collecting three SUNYAC titles and making four NCAA appearances.

"I never got to go to an NCAA Tournament game so for me this was the first time being in the tournament so like Bri said, it was a privilege that we got to win our first tournament game," Wittenbauer said. "I had never even gone, so to win a game was super special. I think that this young group has come such a long way this season. I'm really excited to see what they can do next year because I think we laid the foundation both offensively and defensively in her time here and it was really a privilege to learn from her [Fitzgerald] specifically defensively. So, I think they are in good hands in Sierra and Hannah's hands moving on. It's really special that most people don't even make it here, so to make it here and win a game is really a privilege."  
 
Fitzgerald was the game's leading scorer, finishing with 28 points in 24 minutes, adding nine rebounds, five assists, a block and two steals. Wittenbauer was the next closest for SUNY New Paltz, totaling eight points in 27 minutes with seven boards and a steal.
 
SUNY New Paltz ends the year with a program-most 26 wins and only three losses — all coming against nationally ranked opponents including No. 1 NYU, then No. 20 Cortland and No. 11 John Carroll with the Hawks breaking the top 21 themselves in the national poll.
 
"I've been here for a while now and it is truly special," Fitzgerald said. "I've never been to a Sweet 16, so I was really going in with high hopes that we could get it done tonight. Just overall, it's just been truly special. I just said in the locker room to our team, we've had such a young group and me coming back off an injury, there was a lot of uncertainty, and just so much credit to those younger girls we had never played together as a group. How they were able to grow throughout the season has been so amazing to see. Being a leader on this team I have so much pride in those younger girls and I can't wait to see what they do in the future. I feel like they left it all out there for me tonight. I'm sure Karly feels the same way and I could not be more proud of those girls. I couldn't be more proud of Karly… and I'm thankful I was able to have a great career here as well."

Post-Game Press Conference featuring coach Jamie Seward, Brianna Fitzgerald & Karly Wittenbauer


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