NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team defeated SUNY Oswego 57-50 in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) action on Friday night at the Hawk Center.
 
Sophomore guard/forward Kit Small (Slingerlands, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) once again led the Hawks in scoring with 13 points, seven of those coming from the foul line. Small also notched six boards, two assists and a block in the contest.
 
The Hawks now improve to 10-6, 6-3 in the SUNYAC and will host SUNY Cortland tomorrow at 4 p.m. Earlier this season New Paltz fell to the Red Dragons 58-49. The Lakers fall to 5-11, 3-6 SUNYAC and play at SUNY Oneonta tomorrow at 4 p.m.
 
Freshman guard Sydney Pinn (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) tallied 12 points off the bench while freshman guard/forward Laura Stuart (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) recorded a game-high 12 boards also off the pine. Junior guard Goldie Harrison (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) tallied eight points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore forward Courtney Irby (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) chipped in nine rebounds for New Paltz as the Hawks forced 28 Oswego turnovers and scored 20 points off those mistakes.
 
Both teams struggled from the field the entire game as Oswego went into halftime clinging to a 23-22 lead. In the first half, New Paltz hauled in an impressive 19 offensive rebounds, holding a 33-16 edge on the glass in the opening period.
 
The second half saw the Hawks jump out to two-point lead (25-23) after a Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) three-pointer. New Paltz would go on a 10-3 run to claim a 33-26 edge with 15:52 to play in regulation but Oswego got within three (38-35) with a little less than nine minutes remaining.
 
However, the Hawks pounced on several Laker turnovers over the next few possessions and increased their lead to a game-high 10 points (53-43) with two minutes left on the clock. Pinn and Harrison knocked in several foul shots down the stretch to ice the contest for New Paltz.