FREDONIA, N.Y. -- Entering the fourth quarter tied at 37, the SUNY Oneonta women's basketball team built a late lead and held on for a 50-48 win over Fredonia, Tuesday afternoon. Senior
Jenna Harclerode (Sayville, NY/Sayville) finished 10-for-17 from the field for a career-high 22 points, with nine rebounds and three blocks. The Red Dragons improved to 10-12 on the season, 8-7 in the SUNYAC, and the Blue Devils dropped to 10-11 overall and 5-9 in the conference.
The first quarter consisted of six lead changes and three ties as neither team could separate themselves from the other. With Fredonia ahead four, senior
Molly Stephens (LaGrange, NY/Arlington) drove to the lane for the bucket and a foul for a three-point play to bring Oneonta within one, 12-13, at 4:41. Harclerode closed out the quarter with a couple shots in the paint and the game was tied at 16 after the first period.
Grace Alexander scored a layup and a three-pointer to give the Blue Devils a 21-16 lead early in the second quarter. Harclerode and sophomore
Emma Schwarzbeck (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill Senior High School) each hit a pair of free throws, but Fredonia grew their lead to seven at 4:55 with a jump shot from Payton Gilbert. Alexander hit another three for the Blue Devils, but freshman
Megan Desrats (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) made a putback and Harclerode scored a couple layups to cut the deficit to six, 30-24, entering the break.
After Harclerode traded baskets with a couple Fredonia players, Schwarzbeck converted an and-one to make it a one-point game. Stephens then gave the Red Dragons a 35-34 edge at 3:39 off a baseline pass from junior
Nadia Brown (Troy, NY/Troy). Fredonia regained the lead for a moment off an and-one from Grace, however Harclerode scored off a give-and-go with Brown to tie the game at 37 heading into the fourth.
Oneonta started the final period with a 9-0 run to go up 46-39. Stephens started the stretch with a floater off a Harclerode screen then knocked down a corner trey to go up five. Schwarzbeck made both shots at the line and Harclerode scored inside to put them ahead nine with 4:36 to play. Fredonia made their first basket of the fourth quarter off a long two from Mary Culeton with 2:58 left then, following a pair of free throws from Stephens, Culeton and Grace each hit a three-pointer to bring them within two, 50-48, with 22 seconds left. The Blue Devils had a couple chances to tie or take the lead in their last possession but came up empty.
Stephens finished with 14 points, six rebounds and three assists. Schwarzbeck had seven points, nine boards and four steals.
Alexander led the Blue Devils with 24 points and four rebounds.
Oneonta shot 29.7 percent from the floor and had a 47-39 rebounding advantage, while Fredonia went 32.1 percent from the field.
The Red Dragons are back in action Saturday, February 10, for their Senior Day against New Paltz starting at 2 pm.
