GENESEO, N.Y. -- After a back-and-forth battle through three-quarters, Geneseo used the final period to defeat the SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team, 64-52, in the first round of the SUNYAC tournament, Tuesday evening. Senior
Molly Stephens (LaGrange, NY/Arlington) had the game-high 19 points with three assists. Oneonta's season comes to an end with a record of 10-16.
Stephens hit a jumper in transition then found sophomore
Emma Schwarzbeck (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill Senior High School) on a backdoor cut for a reverse layup to put Oneonta up six, however Geneseo answered with an 11-2 run to go ahead 15-12 at 2:44. Junior
Amanda Zuntag (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) made a deep two before junior
Nadia Brown (Troy, NY/Troy) knocked down a triple from the wing for a 17-15 edge, though the Knights went into the second up one after a Kerry Dennin layup and a free throw from Kristin Suydam.
Geneseo went up five early in the second and held onto the lead until Stephens scored off a left-handed floater to tie it at 23 at 5:59. Junior
Sophia Wakin (Delhi, NY/Delaware Academy) hit a pair at the line to go up 25-24, but Geneseo's Mackenzie Reigle scored twice to regain the lead. In the closing seconds of the half, Stephens made a corner jumper then Wakin blocked a shot down on the other end to keep the game knotted at 30 entering the break.
Stephens scored the Red Dragons' first seven points in the second half then Wakin scored one at the line to take a 38-37 lead. Freshman
Megan Desrats (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) worked herself open in the defensive zone and had an open jumper to make it a three-point game, however Geneseo tied it from the line to go into the fourth tied at 40.
Brown dribbled past her defender for a floater to make it 46-44, however the Knights went on a 15-2 stretch for a 59-48 lead with 1:24 to play. Schwarzbeck made a pair of free throws and Desrats scored inside the paint, while Geneseo used the line for the 64-52 final.
Schwarzbeck finished with eight points and four rebounds, Brown added seven points. Wakin and junior
Molly Coyne (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) both led the team with seven rebounds.
Dennin led the Knights with 17 points and 11 rebounds, Kiley Snow had 15 points, and Reigle totaled 13 points and five assists.
Geneseo shot 44.0 percent from the field, Oneonta went 36.1 percent from the floor, and both recorded 36 rebounds. The Knights went 15-for-27 from the free throw line, while the Red Dragons went 6-for-8.
