Box Score Box Score

     In a game where the defense controlled the tempo tonight, the SUNY Oneonta Red Dragons came out on top of New Paltz 57-48 in a battle between the two top teams in the SUNYAC.  With the win the Red Dragons stay in first place with an 8-0 record while New Paltz falls two games behind at 6-2 in conference play.  The win for Oneonta (10-5) was also its sixth straight.
     The decisive point for Oneonta in the contest came with just over 11 minutes to go in the game.  With the Red Dragons holding a slim 34-33 lead, a 12-3 run broke the game open and, at the 6:55 mark, Oneonta held a 46-36 lead.  Three point baskets by junior Erika Puffer (Unadilla/Unatego) and sophomore Madison Slagle (Rome/Rome Catholic) broke the backs of New Paltz during the run.
     The Hawks came back with six unanswered points capped by a three-pointer by senior Kristen Caban (Staten Island/St. Joseph Hill Academy)  to cut Oneonta's lead back to four points at 46-42 with 4:54 remaining.
     A basket by freshman Gabi Regan (Troy/Columbia) stooped the New Paltz run.  The Hawks got as close as four points one final time with 1:30 left, but Oneonta would hit six-of-eight free throws down the stretch for the final margin of victory. Leading Oneonta tonight was sophomore Samantha Szkotak (New York Mills/New York Mills), who scored 12 points.  Slagle also reached double figures for the Red Dragons tonight finishing with 10 points.
     Senior Maggie Farrell (Hillsdale/Immaculate)  scored 11 points to lead the Hawks.
     New Paltz opened the contest with back-to-back three-point baskets on its first two possessions to jump out quickly 6-0.  They were ahead 8-0 at the 15:36 mark when the Red Dragons finally scored its initial basket of the game, a jumper by senior Sara Chrystie (Oxford/Oxford).  Chrystie finished the game with four points and a team high six assists.
     Through the middle part of the opening half both defenses controlled the action not allowing any
good looks at the basket.
     With the score 13-9 at the 6:42 mark, the two teams picked up the tempo and started to convert on their opportunities.  New Paltz led throughout the entire first half and took a 24-21 lead into the break.  For most of the first half neither team was shooting 25 percent before they both finished with a flurry to get to over 33 percent.
     Th Red Dragons are in action again next Tuesday at Cortland for a SUNYAC game beginning at 6:00 p.m.