POTSDAM, N.Y.- SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (1-21, 0-15 SUNYAC) fell to SUNY Cortland (15-8, 10-6 SUNAYC) Saturday afternoon at Jerry Welsh Gymnasium. A strong offensive showing in the third quarter from the Red Dragons lifted them over the Bears 64-38. Senior forward Katie LaVoie (Malone, N.Y./Franklin Academy) led Potsdam for the second straight contest with a game-high and career-high 21 points with three steals. Freshman guard Kristy Vitucci (Deer Park/Deer Park) carried Cortland with 16 points and eight boards.
 
LaVoie was the solo scorer for the Bears during the first quarter with all 11 points. The Red Dragons held the slight advantage at the end of the 10 minutes with a 14-11 score. Cortland then opened the second quarter with a 12-2 run to get out to a 13-point lead, but Potsdam would answer with seven straight points from LaVoie and junior guard Meghan Driscoll (Troy, N.Y./Troy) to cut the lead in half. Two free throws and a jumper from Caysea Cohen (Stony Brook/Ward Melville) brought the score to 30-22 at halftime in favor of the Red Dragons.
 
The next 10 minutes of play was all Cortland with a 25-5 scoring advantage.
 
In the final quarter, the teams were evenly matched, but the Red Dragons' lead was too much to overcome for the Bears and Cortland took the 64-38 victory.
 
Freshman guard Janay Smith (Bronx, N.Y./Wings Academy) finished with six points and four rebounds and freshman guard Abbey Smith (Bainbridge, N.Y./Bainbridge-Guilford) led the Bears with six boards.
 
Junior forward Alyssa Crosby (Brier Hill/Hammond) was one rebound short of double-double with 13 points and nine boards. Cohen and junior forward Danielle Levine (Holbrook/Sachem North) each finished with eight points for the Red Dragons.
 
The Bears will travel to SUNY Plattsburgh on Tuesday to battle the Cardinals at 5:30 p.m.