GENESEO, N.Y. – Sophomore guard/forward Kit Small (Slingerlands, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) scored a team-high 18 points but this was not enough as the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team fell at first place SUNY Geneseo 74-61 on Friday evening.

The Hawks move to 14-8, 10-5 in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) and head to The College at Brockport tomorrow at 4 p.m. New Paltz remains in third place in the standings. The Knights rise to 17-4, 13-1 SUNYAC and host SUNY Oneonta Saturday at 4 p.m.

Small tallied her 18 points behind 5-of-11 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe. The sophomore dished out a team-best six assists and tied for the team lead with six boards.

Freshman guard/forward Laura Stuart (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) posted a nice game off the bench with eight points, six rebounds and three assists.

Four players finished with at least two made three-pointers as Small, junior guard/forward Colleen Ames (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst), senior guard Shannan Walker (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) and senior guard Ashley Riefenhauser (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y./Dobbs Ferry) all knocked down a pair from beyond the arc. Seven players scored at least six points for the Hawks as New Paltz shot 42.9 percent from three-point land (9-of-21).

The Knights shot 50.0 percent for the night (27-of-54) and 85.7 percent from the foul line (18-of-21) while attempting only eight three-pointers. New Paltz held a slim, 38-35 lead at halftime but was unfortunately outscored 39-23 in the second stanza. New Paltz lost the battle on the boards, 36-31, and was outscored in the paint 40-19.

Three players notched double figures for first-place Geneseo with senior forward Shannon McGinniss registering game-highs with 24 points and 10 rebounds. McGinniss entered the game as the SUNYAC's leading rebounder (11.0 rpg). Junior forward Allison McKenna scored 19 points and sophomore guard Kara Houppert contributed 11 points.

New Paltz opened the game trailing 4-0 before going on an 8-2 run highlighted by a pair of threes by Riefenhauser. However, Geneseo responded and regained the lead 13-10 with a little less than 14 minutes to play in the first half.

The Knights continued to make shots and went ahead 19-12 at the 11 minute mark. A layup by Small 14 seconds later cut the deficit to five (19-14) and a three by Walker got the Hawks within three (22-19) under nine minutes to play. 

New Paltz regained the lead at 5:25 when Ames knocked in a three. After Geneseo took a one-point edge, Stuart made consecutive field goals to hand the advantage right back to the visitors, 29-26, with 4:14 left. 

Junior guard Goldie Harrison (Elmont, N.Y./Elmont Memorial) scored a layup with 1:28 to go giving New Paltz a six-point cushion (36-30) but Geneseo would score with 10 seconds left in the first to cut into the Hawk lead, 38-35, at intermission. 

The second half started with Walker nailing a three in the opening seconds to extend the New Paltz lead to six (41-35). But from that moment, Geneseo would go on an impressive 19-4 run in the next seven minutes to take a 54-45 lead.

Junior guard Christine Rivera (Long Beach, N.Y./Valley Stream) hit a three to stop the bleeding for New Paltz and Small recorded an old-fashioned three-point play at 10:49 to bring the Hawks to within five (56-51). Small continued her hot shooting and hit back-to-back threes to get the visitors within two (59-57) with 9:17 remaining. 

However, the Knights would once again counter with another long run and impressive defense, this time using a 15-4 spurt that limited the Hawks to just two field goals for nearly the last eight minutes of the contest.