FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia women's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season, 74-65, at the hands of Nazareth College on Tuesday evening, falling to 4-1. Along the way, Alexis Cheatham (Lockport, N.Y. / Lockport) became the 10th Blue Devil women's basketball player to join the 1,000 Point Club.

Nazareth (3-1) opened the game on a 7-0 run while Fredonia failed on its first seven shot attempts. Fredonia fought back to pull within two, 10-8, after a pair of Sarah Sweazy (Rochester, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta) free throws. The Flyers then ran off another 10 straight to take a 20-8 lead and never looked back.

Nazareth would end the first quarter with a 25-11 lead. Fredonia was slowed by 4-of-15 shooting (27 percent) while Nazareth shot a healthy 58 percent from the floor.

Fredonia would regroup and outscore Nazareth, 17-16, in the second quarter, with the Flyers holding a 41-28 at the break.

The Devils would pull within eight, 47-39, after back-to-back buckets by Khee Nance (Dunkirk, N.Y. / Dunkirk) midway through the third quarter. Nazareth answered with a 9-2 run to regain command. 

Nazareth would lead by as many as 17 with 6:32 left in the game.

The Devils made one last run. Cheatham hit a three with 2:42 on the clock to pull within nine, 72-63. Following a turnover, Cheatham nailed a pair of free throws with 2:01 left to make it a seven-point game. The Devils would fail to score after that.

Jenna Einink (Westfield, N.Y. / Chautauqua Lake) led Fredonia with 16 points and Cheatham finished with 15. Jacque Law (Machias, N.Y. / Pioneer) added 10 points and four steals, while Kathryn Halloran (Angola, N.Y. / Immaculata) grabbed 12 boards.

Samantha Peebles led Naz with 19 points, and Sam Sorge turned in 18 and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Fredonia held a 38-37 edge in rebounding, while Naz committed 25 turnovers to Fredonia's 19. The Flyer's biggest statistical advantage was in shooting percentage -- 51 percent vs. 36 percent for Fredonia.

Cheatham reached the 1,000 point plateau when she nailed a long three with halfway through the third quarter. Cheatham had three long-range baskets in the game to extend her school career record to 187.



Cheatham's teammate from last year, Sabrina Macaulay, was the last player to reach the milestone, and was in the stands to witness the new member.

Fredonia opens SUNYAC play this weekend. The men and women both play host to Potsdam on Friday and Plattsburgh on Saturday. This season, the men's team will play the first game of the doubleheader. Times are 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, and 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday.

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