PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. -- The Oneonta women's basketball team was bested by Plattsburgh State, 59-49, on the road in SUNYAC play Friday evening. Freshman
Nai Torres (Putnam Valley, NY/Putnam Valley) shot 7-for-10 from the floor and finished with a career-high 15 points. The Red Dragons moved to 6-10 overall, 3-6 in SUNYAC, and the Cardinals improved to 10-5 on the season and 6-2 in conference play.
After trading baskets in the first couple minutes, Plattsburgh went on a 9-0 run for a 15-6 lead at 4:24 in the first. Oneonta closed out the quarter with eight unanswered points to make it 15-14 heading into the second. Torres knocked down a deep two from the top of the arc then made a tough layup, and senior
Sophia Wakin (Delhi, NY/Delaware Academy) and junior
Lidia Boucher (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central High School) each hit a jumper from the free throw line.
Boucher put the Red Dragons up 17-15 with a three-pointer from the wing to start the second, however Jaden Wilson answered with her own triple and ignited a 21-4 Cardinal run to close out the half. Payton Couture recorded seven points during the stretch for Plattsburgh, while Torres scored both baskets for Oneonta as they trailed 36-21 at the break.
The Red Dragons went on a 12-2 run to start the second half and cut the deficit to 38-33 with 2:03 to play in the third. Senior
Nadia Brown (Troy, NY/Troy) started the quarter with a pair at the line and later hit a jumper, senior
Amanda Zuntag (Staten Island, NY/Notre Dame Academy) scored down in the paint, sophomore
Carlie Young (Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville Central) made a putback, sophomore
Megan Desrats (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) banked in a midrange jumper, and Torres capped off the run with a layup. Torres scored the final basket in the quarter as Oneonta went into the fourth down 42-35.
After Desrats split a pair at the line, Zuntag grabbed an offensive rebound for the putback and pulled the Red Dragons within four with 5:27 to play, however the Cardinals went on an 8-2 stretch to go up 52-42 with 1:41 remaining. Desrats got Oneonta back to within six off a jumper with 41 seconds left, but Plattsburgh used the free throw line to close out the game.
Zuntag finished with 12 points and the team-high eight rebounds. Desrats ended with seven points and a career-high six steals.
Couture recorded the game-high 16 points with seven rebounds for the Cardinals, and Imani Walcott had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Plattsburgh shot 42.9 percent from the field and finished with a 41-32 rebounding advantage, while Oneonta shot 34.9 percent from the floor.
