ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Sophomore Amanda Zuntag (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) led the Battle of the Hills with a career-high 24 points and helped the SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team defeat Hartwick in the season opener, 65-55, Wednesday evening. Junior Nadia Brown (Troy, NY/Troy) and senior Molly Stephens (LaGrange, NY/Arlington) each finished with nine points as the Red Dragons start the season 1-0 and the Hawks go to 0-1.

Hartwick went up 5-0 to start the game before Zuntag recorded Oneonta's first basket at 5:49 to spark an 8-0 run that ended with a jumper from Stephens. Both teams began to trade baskets towards the end of the first quarter where Hawks Sareena DiCerbo scored six of Hartwick's last nine points for a 14-13 lead.

The lead continued to bounce back and forth throughout the second quarter. Following a layup by Bree Fargnoli at 3:01 to put the Hawks ahead two, the Red Dragons closed out the half with an 8-1 run. Zuntag scored five of the points and, after she converted an and-one, sophomore Emma Schwarzbeck (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill Senior High School) drilled a three-pointer for a 27-21 edge. Hartwick's Isabella Astorino split a pair at the line on the next possession to bring them within five heading into the break.  

Stephens and Zuntag powered a 7-0 run to start the third quarter and put themselves ahead 34-22 at 7:40. The Hawks cut their deficit in half at 3:56, but the Red Dragons answered back with a couple shots from Brown and senior Jenna Harclerode (Sayville, NY/Sayville). DiCerbo and Astorino got Hartwick back to within seven, however a made putback by Zuntag gave Oneonta a 43-34 advantage going into the fourth.

The Hawks chipped away the Red Dragons lead and trailed by only two points, 47-49, when Caitie Unger made a layup with 5:55 remaining, however Oneonta responded with a 10-0 run. Stephens, Zuntag, and Brown all made a basket in the paint during the stretch while a few players got the rest from the line to go up 59-47 with 1:56 to play. The Red Dragons registered the rest of their shots from the line where Brown scored the final point for the 65-55 final.   

Oneonta controlled the glass against Hartwick for a 43-34 advantage. Harclerode led the game with 11 rebounds while Stephens and Zuntag each added seven. The Red Dragons finished 64.5 percent from the free throw line (20-31), while Hartwick shot 61.9 percent (13-21).

Schwarzbeck and freshman Megan Desrats (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) co-led the team and dished out three assists, while Schwarzbeck, Brown, and Harclerode all recorded two steals.  

Astorino led Hartwick with 16 points and five rebounds. DiCerbo finished with 13 points and nine rebounds and Fargnoli had 10 points along with six rebounds.

The Red Dragons are back in action on Tuesday when they host Skidmore at 6:30 pm. Read Full Article