WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team (3-0) outscored Eastern Connecticut State University (1-4), 42-30, in the second half of Tuesday evening's non-conference matchup, leading to a 64-56 road victory for the Hawks at Geissler Gymnasium. This marks the best start for the Hawks in head coach Jamie Seward's tenure at New Paltz.
 
Senior guard Maliqua Fisher (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) scored 12 of her team-leading 17 points in the second stanza to lead the Hawks to victory on Tuesday. She also pulled down eight rebounds over her 35 minutes. Freshman forward Michelle Valle (New York, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Science/Mathematics) added 11 points in the Hawks' big second half. She finished with 13 points, nine boards and two blocks, all of which are career highs.
 
Eastern Connecticut led by six early in the half before New Paltz began to chip away. The Hawks obtained their first lead of the half when Fisher sunk a layup at the 10:24 mark to put New Paltz up by one. The Warriors quickly took the lead back on Brianna Leonard's layup, but Fisher stole the advantage right back with a pair of free throws. The Warriors took a one-point lead once more before a 9-0 run from the 8:14 mark to 5:36 put the Hawks up by eight with a lead they would not forfeit.
 
The Hawks needed an even bigger run in the first half after slipping to a 15-2 deficit in the first five minutes of the contest. Fisher scored on three-straight layups to cut the Warrior lead to seven before junior guard Alyssa Gratien (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) made a free throw and then a three-pointer to bring the Hawks within three. Freshman guard/forward Jennifer Sixsmith (Plainview, N.Y./Saint Anthony's) then drained a three to tie the game at 15 apiece.
 
Sixsmith nailed another shot from behind the arc a minute later to give the Hawks their first lead of the game. Senior guard Kahsyrah Bryant (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) followed with a pair of free throws, capping off an 18-0 stretch for New Paltz. The Warriors then rallied back with an 11-2 run to take a four-point lead at the intermission.
 
Sixsmith finished the evening with 11 points, tying a season-high, and had her highest rebound total with seven in the win. Gratien picked up six points and led all players with four steals.
 
Eastern Connecticut's Kristina Forsman led all scorers with 24 points on the night. Shannon McCourt also contributed 10 points and eight boards for the Warriors.
 
The Warriors shot .396 from the field on 21 of 56 shooting, while the Hawks made 33.3 percent of their field goals (21-63) on Tuesday. The Hawks held the advantage from the charity stripe, making 63 percent of their free throws to Eastern Connecticut's 52.9 percent. Each team hit five times from the distance.
 
After beginning the 2011-12 campaign with a 0-4 start, the Hawks look to start this year with the reverse when they take a trip to SUNY Fredonia for their first State University of New York Athletic Conference matchup of the season on Friday, Nov. 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.