BOSTON – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team fell to William Paterson 69-59 in the season opener for both squads on Saturday afternoon in the opening game of the 31^st-annual Emmanuel Tournament.
 
The Hawks (0-1) will look to bounce back tomorrow in the consolation game against Mount Saint Mary at 12 p.m. as the Knights were defeated by host Emmanuel 62-43 in Saturday's second contest. William Paterson (0-1) will now play the Saints in the championship at 2 p.m.
 
Junior guard Goldie Harrison (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) led the team with 13 points while shooting 7-of-10 from the foul line. Junior guard/forward Colleen Ames (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) chipped in 12 points, including a trio of three pointers and sophomore forward Courtney Irby (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
 
New Paltz struggled from the field the entire game, shooting just 15-of-57 (22.4 percent).  From the start, the Pioneers jumped out to a quick lead but the Hawks chipped away in the opening period and knotted the game at 10 with 11:56 to go after a Harrison free throw. After a 4-0 spurt by William Paterson, the Hawks regained the lead (15-14) thanks to a three-pointer by senior guard Ashley Riefenhauser (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) with 8:54 to go.
 
Sophomore guard/forward Kit Small (Slingerlands, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) knocked down a pair of free throws to hand New Paltz a three-point edge (17-14) but from that point the Pioneers finished the half on a 16-11 run and held the lead at halftime 30-25.
 
In the second stanza, the Hawks found themselves trailing by as many as 19 points with 11:49 left to play, but New Paltz cut the deficit down to 10 as Ames converted a pair of shots from beyond the arc.
 
Freshman guard/forward Jasmine Bryant (Elmont, N.Y./St. Mary's College Prep) made a three with 5:03 to go and Small followed with a lay-in at 4:30 to get the Hawks within five (60-55) but unfortunately that was the closest that New Paltz reached as William Paterson closed out the contest.