FREDONIA, N.Y. – Sophomore guard/forward Kit Small (Slingerlands, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) scored 20 points and senior guard Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) poured in 19 points to lead the State University of New York of New Paltz women's basketball team past Fredonia 73-67 on Friday evening, the Hawks' fifth-straight victory.

The Hawks trailed at halftime 36-30 but outscored the Blue Devils 43-31 in the second half to earn the conference win. With the victory, New Paltz improves to 9-5, 5-2 in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) and will play at Buffalo State tomorrow at 4 p.m. Fredonia falls to 6-9, 3-6 SUNYAC and host Oneonta tomorrow at 4 p.m.

The game was neck and neck down the stretch with a deadlock at 62-62 with 5:36 left to play in regulation. Walker handed New Paltz the lead (64-62) with a jumper at 3:36 and junior guard Goldie Harrison (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) knocked in a layup with a little less than two minutes to play before Fredonia answered with jumper to pull within one (66-65).

But the Hawks would go on a 7-2 run to close out the contest as Walker hit a three and Small converted three free throws to hand New Paltz the victory, snapping a two-game losing streak to Fredonia.

For the game, Small shot 7-of-10 from the field and went 6-of-8 from the charity stripe while chipping in six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Walker finished 5-of-9 from behind the arc for a career-high in three-pointers made in a game. Harrison knocked in nine points while freshman guard/forward Laura Stuart (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) scored nine points and pulled in a team-high nine boards.

Fredonia had four players finish in double figures as sophomore guard Alexis Cheatham and junior forward Sabrina Macaulay both led the team with 15 points.