NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The top-seeded State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team (23-3) is going to the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Women's Basketball Championship Tournament final for the first time since 2010 after defeating No. 5 SUNY Plattsburgh (15-12) in the SUNYAC Tournament semifinal round on Friday at the Hawk Center, 63-59.
 
The Hawks will take on No. 2 SUNY Geneseo (20-6) in the championship game tomorrow, Feb. 23, at 4 p.m. at the Hawk Center. Geneseo reached the final game by defeating No. 3 SUNY Oswego (18-9) in their matchup at the Hawk Center on Friday, 67-51.
 
After leading for most of the second half, the Hawks forfeited the lead to Plattsburgh after the Cardinals went on a 13-2 run, giving them a 53-50 advantage with 4:44 to play. A layup by senior guard Maliqua Fisher (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) cut the lead to one before Catherine Cassidy made 1-of-2 free throws to take a two-point lead once again. On the ensuing series, freshman guard Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) drove into the paint before passing back to senior forward Alex McCullough (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central), who drained an open three to put the Hawks ahead by one.
 
Brittany Marshall was called for a travel on Plattsburgh's next possession, handing the ball back to the Hawks. Freshman forward Michelle Valle (New York, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Science/Mathematics) drove into the lane on the following drive and sank a layup to push the New Paltz lead to three. After two failed attempts to score by Plattsburgh, Walker was sent to the line with nine seconds left and a chance to put the game out of reach. She was successful on both of her attempts, increasing the edge to five points, which seemed to be enough at the time. Marshall ran down the court after the inbounds and swished a long three to cut the deficit to two with four ticks to go, giving the Cardinals some hope. Walker managed to toss the inbound pass down the court to Fisher, who was fouled with two seconds remaining. She sank both shots to clinch the four-point win for New Paltz in the postseason edition of the battle of the birds.
 
Valle led the Hawks with 14 points and 14 rebounds, which gave her the seventh double-double of her freshman campaign. Fisher, McCullough and junior guard Alyssa Gratien (Syracuse, N.Y./Jamesville-DeWitt) each posted 10 points for the Hawks in Friday's victory.
 
Plattsburgh's Kathleen Payne led all scorers with 23 points in the losing effort. Marshall was their next highest scorer with nine points, while Tequilla Lloyd led the Cardinals with 13 boards.
 
The first half saw the Hawks fly out to a seven-point lead in the first ten minutes, but the Cardinals battled back, eventually stealing the lead at the 4:04 mark on Lloyd's fastbreak layup. Fisher later hit a pair of foul shots to take the lead back for the Hawks, but it was Plattsburgh that scored the final points of the half on Payne's jumper to go into the locker room with a 31-30 lead.
 
The percentages were in Plattsburgh's favor, as they led in field goal, three point and free throw percentage on the night. The Cardinals also outrebounded the Hawks, 51-38. The Hawks played the cleaner game on the floor, forcing 23 turnovers to 18, which turned into 15 points off turnovers for the Hawks compared to eight for Plattsburgh.
 
The Hawks are looking to win their first-ever SUNYAC title tomorrow evening. Tomorrow also marks the first time that New Paltz will host a SUNYAC Women's Basketball Championship Tournament final. The Hawks have a 75-14 (.843) overall record at the Hawk Center since its opening in 2006, and a 12-1 home record this season.