Hawks Earn SUNYAC Win Over Plattsburgh

By Colleen Gonzalez

PLATTSBURGH – Freshman guard Sandi Harris, freshman forward Paige Niemeyer and senior guard/forward Kit Small scored 14 points each in the State University of New York at New Paltz women’s basketball team’s 72-41 triumph over SUNY Plattsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

Harris, Niemeyer and Small, combined, made 14-of-26 shots from the floor and 10-of-14 shots from the line. Freshman guard Marion Dietz pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds and chipped in four assists while Niemeyer added eight rebounds and four steals.

For the Cardinals, freshman forward Taylor Clare paced the team with 12 points off the bench while junior guard/forward Hope Cerasuolo chipped in eight points, also off the bench. Freshman forward Becca Mahon led Plattsburgh with a team-high five rebounds.

New Paltz shot 32.9 percent (23-of-70) from the field and 67.9 percent (19-of-28) from the line while holding Plattsburgh to 25.5 (13-of-51) field goal percentage and a 61.9 (13-of-21) free throw percentage. The Hawks also held a 59-29 advantage in rebounds and converted 18 points off turnovers but Plattsburgh scored 25 bench points, with New Paltz only scoring 15.

The Hawks took the lead early and never looked back, outscoring the Cardinals, 15-8, in the first quarter before creating a 34-18 gap at the conclusion of the second period. In the third stanza, the Hawks maintained almost a 30-point cushion (56-28) that would continue to remain well into the final period, eventually cementing New Paltz its fifth consecutive SUNYAC win.

New Paltz improves to 11-7, 8-4 SUNYAC and returns to the Hawk Center for a seven game homestand.