By: Ricky Webster
BOX SCORE
PHOTO GALLERY
FREDONIA, N.Y.— The Fredonia State women's basketball team dropped a SUNYAC contest to the New Paltz Hawks at Steele Hall, 70-61.
The Devils, who held sole possession of the eighth and final playoff spot entering the game, fall to 3-10 in the conference and 5-14 overall. The Hawks, who are ranked fourth in the latest NCAA D-III East Regional rankings and second in the SUNYAC, improve to 10-2 in the conference and 12-7 overall.
The Devils and the Hawks traded leads early in the first half as both teams struggled from three-point range. Both teams shot 1-8 from behind the arc. At the 7:33 mark, Becky Hebert connected on two free throws to put the Devils up one, 20-19. That was the last lead the Devils saw in the half, as New Paltz rattled off seven consecutive points. The Hawks went into intermission on a 20-7 run, leading at the break 39-27.
Fredonia State proved to have the hot hand in the opening minutes of the second half. Following a Nicole Calbi three point shot in the opening minute of the half, Jenna Austin sank three consecutive treys to bring the Devils to within five, 48-43.
The Devils would not get any closer though, as the Hawks pulled away. New Paltz led by as many as 13 points. Shanay Bradley controlled the pace of the game in the second half. Bradley, who is second in the SUNYAC in rebounding, pulled down 24 rebounds while scoring 16 points. As a team, the Hawks out-rebounded the Devils 58-41.
Calbi, who entered the game coming off a season-high 24 points against Brockport, dropped in 14 points. Austin finished the game with a team-high 15 points while Jamie Warren contributed eight points along with nine rebounds.
The Devils take on Oneonta tomorrow at Steele Hall at 2 p.m. as part of National Girls and Women in Sport Day. The annual women's basketball alumni game will be held in the morning, and the Northern Chautauqua Catholic School girls' junior varsity team will play a mini-game at halftime. The first 125 children ages 16-and-under will receive a commemorative t-shirt.
