ONEONTA, N.Y. -- In a back-and-forth SUNYAC battle where the lead changed sides six times in the final quarter, the Oneonta women's basketball team came away with a key conference win over Fredonia, 62-59, Friday evening in Dewar Arena. Freshman
Tyalia Fret-Thom (Poughkeepsie, NY/Roy C. Ketcham) was on fire from three-point range and finished 6-for-10 from deep to lead the team with a career-high 18 points. The Red Dragon freshman was one three-pointer away from tying the program's all-time single game record, as she became the 10th player in program history to record at least six treys in a game. With the win, the Red Dragons improved to 12-9 this season, 7-7 in the SUNYAC, and the Blue Devils dropped to 11-8 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
Junior
Carlie Young (Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville Central) went 3-for-5 beyond the arc for 15 points with four rebounds and two steals, and freshman
Kayla Beaudoin (Brunswick, NY/Tamarac) had 12 points with four assists. Junior
Megan Desrats (Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley) recorded the game-high six assists and five steals along with seven points and four boards, and senior
Lidia Boucher (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) added five points, all in the fourth quarter, with two assists and two steals.
Fredonia scored the first eight points of the game before Oneonta went on a 19-4 run to go up 19-12 at 1:35. Fret-Thom went 3-for-3 from downtown, while Young drained a triple herself during the stretch. Desrats scored a couple baskets in the paint and Mack ended the run with a deep corner two to put the Red Dragons up seven. Kaylyn Sweeney and Payton Gilbert each scored a layup at the end of the quarter to pull the Blue Devils within three, 19-16.
Freshman
Skye Cameron-Pressley (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) knocked down a midrange jumper to put Oneonta up five, until Fredonia tied the game at 21 at 6:38. Beaudoin split a pair of defenders and drove in for a layup to regain the lead, but the Blue Devils took it back with seven unanswered points and went up 28-23 with 3:00 to play in the half. Desrats split a pair at the free throw line, then she found Fret-Thom on the wing for a deep triple, but Fredonia maintained their five-point edge, 32-27, heading into the break.
The Blue Devils opened the third quarter with a layup before the Red Dragons ignited a 12-2 stretch for a 39-36 lead at 5:06. Young powered the run with seven points, while Fret-Thom fired in a three, and Desrats made an under hand lay in. In the final moments of the third quarter, Beaudoin passed it to Fret-Thom for a trey, then she scored herself on a give-and-go with Boucher to keep Oneonta ahead 44-40.
Gilbert and Jakeira Stackhouse scored Fredonia's first nine points in the final quarter to take a 49-46 lead at 7:05. Oneonta regained the lead after Boucher converted an and-one, then scored two more points from the line with 3:33 to play. Jayssa Snelick gave the Blue Devils the edge after Boucher's trip to the line, however Young drained a corner three to give the Red Dragons a 58-56 advantage with 1:25 left, and the lead for the rest of the game. Fredonia kept it close and got within a point twice in the final minute, but Beaudoin secured the win for Oneonta by going 4-for-4 at the line.
The Red Dragons shot 40.0 percent from the field, 40.9 percent (9-for-22) from three-point range, and finished with a 26-11 margin in points off turnovers. The Blue Devils finished 51.1 percent from the field, 28.6 percent (4-for-14) from deep, and a 28-26 rebounding edge. Gilbert led Fredonia with the game-high 19 points and six rebounds, and Snelick had 17 points with two steals.
Oneonta is back in action on Saturday, February 7, for a SUNYAC contest against Buffalo State starting at 2:00 pm. The Red Dragons will be recognizing and celebrating their seniors prior to the game for Senior Day.
