The SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team bowed out of the SUNYAC tournament tonight, as the visiting Plattsburgh Cardinals defeated the Red Dragons 66-52.  The win for Plattsburgh (15-11) advances them into the semifinals where they will face top-seeded New Paltz on Friday night at 8pm.  The loss ends the season for Oneonta (13-13), who were the defending SUNYAC champions.

Plattsburgh junior Kathleen Payne was the catalyst tonight for the Cardinals, as she scored a game high 26 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.  Senior Catherine Cassidy also recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards.  The cardinals finished the contest with a 53-39 advantage off the glass.

Plattsburgh held a comfortable 34-18 lead at halftime due in part to six three-point baskets.  In the opening five minutes of the second half, Oneonta made its first run and cut the lead in half to 40-32.  Junior Kristin Pappalardo (Mahopac/Lakeland) led the charge with eight points including a pair of three-pointers.

The Cardinals quickly got its lead back to 16 points with eight unanswered led by Payne and Cassidy.

The Red Dragons made another push over the next five minutes and cut the lead once again to eight points with 8:45 remaining.  Freshman Lyteshia Price (Liverpool/Liverpool) (4 pts) and Pappalardo (3 pts) led Oneonta.

Unfortunately, the Red Dragons could not get any closer than eight points, as Plattsburgh pulled away in the final two minutes to secure its first round victory.

Pappalardo came off the bench to pour in 18 points while dishing out three assists and collecting three steals.

Newspaper Box Score
PLATTSBURGH STATE 66, SUNY ONEONTA 52

PLATTSBURGH STATE (15-11)
PAYNE, Kathleen 10-18 4-8 26; CASSIDY, Catherine 4-10 0-0 12; REIFINGER, Brooke 1-3 4-4 7; MARSHALL, Brittany 2-9 1-2 6; ADEDAPO, Ayomide 2-2 0-0 5; GREEN, Misha 2-4 1-4 5; NUCARO, Dana 1-5 2-4 4; PAUL, Devona 0-0 1-2 1; LLOYD, Tequilla 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-53 13-24 66.

SUNY ONEONTA (13-13)
PAPPALARDO, Kristin 6-11 1-4 18; LONGTO, Sarah 3-7 3-4 9; PRICE, Lyteshia 3-11 2-4 9; SCHILLING, Grace 1-9 5-10 7; CRAWFORD, Alyshia 2-8 0-0 5; MULLIGAN, Kelly 2-8 0-0 4; POLAN, Kristen 0-2 0-0 0; CARISEO, Caitlin 0-4 0-0 0; LOOMIS, Bryn 0-4 0-1 0. Totals 17-64 11-23 52.

3-point goals--Plattsburgh State 9-25 (CASSIDY, Catherine 4-8; PAYNE, Kathleen 2-6; ADEDAPO, Ayomide 1-1; MARSHALL, Brittany 1-6; REIFINGER, Brooke 1-3; NUCARO, Dana 0-1), SUNY Oneonta 7-21 (PAPPALARDO, Kristin 5-10; CRAWFORD, Alyshia 1-4; PRICE, Lyteshia 1-4; MULLIGAN, Kelly 0-1; SCHILLING, Grace 0-2).
Fouled out--Plattsburgh State-None, SUNY Oneonta-LONGTO, Sarah.
Rebounds--Plattsburgh State 53 (GREEN, Misha 10; CASSIDY, Catherine 10; PAYNE, Kathleen 10), SUNY Oneonta 39 (PRICE, Lyteshia 7).
Assists--Plattsburgh State 14 (MARSHALL, Brittany 6), SUNY Oneonta 14 (SCHILLING, Grace 6). Total fouls--Plattsburgh State 18, SUNY Oneonta 20.
Technical fouls--Plattsburgh State-None, SUNY Oneonta-None.
A-127