ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team held Potsdam to a six-point third quarter and created a wide enough margin to defeat the Bears, 63-53, Saturday afternoon. Senior Olivia Dobrovosky (Skaneateles/Skaneateles) led the charge shooting 6-for-8 from the field, finishing with 16 points and nine rebounds as the Red Dragons improved to 5-3 on the season and 2-1 in the SUNYAC. The Bears moved to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the conference.  

Oneonta's scoring came from everyone in the first quarter while Dyamon Hunter was the main focal point for Potsdam. Senior Meg Nardelli (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) started it off with a three-pointer and Dobrovosky split a pair at the line before Dyamon Hunter scored the first Bears basket at 8:29. Sophomore Nadia Brown (Troy/Troy) made a fast break layup and junior Jenna Harclerode (Sayville/Sayville) made a couple free throws and a layup, however Hunter answered back with a couple shots to keep Potsdam within four. With 2:33 left in the first, junior Molly Stephens (LaGrange/Arlington) hit a triple to make it 13-6, but Carley Hill answered back with a three of her own. Sophomore Amanda Zuntag (Staten Island/Notre Dame Academy) scored the last basket in the quarter for the Red Dragons, and they went into the second quarter up 15-12.  

Potsdam took the lead early in the second with a layup from Jakia Howard and another Hill three. The lead did not last long as Zuntag tied it up with a layup, then Nardelli hit a three and Dobrovosky found the basket to make it 22-17 with 6:50 left in the half. Dobrovosky, Harclerode, and Nardelli scored Oneonta's final eight points of the quarter but could not extend their lead as they went into halftime up 30-25. 

Mandy Barnell made a couple free throws to bring the Bears within three only for the Red Dragons to score the next seven points. Graduate student Megan Palmatier (Bainbridge/Bainbridge-Guilford) had a putback jumper, Stephens hit one from beyond the arc, and Dobrovosky went coast to coast for a layup to make it 37-27 with 5:05 left. After Bella Barner hit a couple free throws, Nardelli followed up with a triple. The Red Dragons ended the third with a putback bucket from graduate student Clara Culeton (Oswego/Oswego) and a free throw from Culeton and Dobrovosky to go up 44-31.  

Most of the fourth quarter was back and forth action and the Red Dragons were able to hold on to their lead. Dobrovosky and Hunter started the quarter scoring the first couple baskets for their teams. With 6:01 left, Hunter stole the ball and found Howard to bring the Bears within nine, 42-51. A minute later, Zuntag gave Oneonta their double-digit lead again and held on to it until there was 1:27 left when Zavia Jamie hit a three and brought Potsdam within eight. The Red Dragons kept control of the final minute and closed it out from the charity stripe.  

Nardelli and Harclerode each finished with 11 points. Harclerode also recorded nine rebounds and four assists. Nardelli and Stephens each had three three-pointers in the game.   

Hunter had 19 points and seven rebounds for the Bears and Howard finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. 

The Red Dragons shot 31.3 percent from the field and grabbed 45 rebounds, while the Bears shot 34.5 percent from the field and hauled in 38 boards.  

Oneonta travels to Buffalo State on Friday to take on the Bengals at 5:30 pm.   Read Full Article