ONEONTA, N.Y. – Despite erasing a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter, the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team ended up dropping a 63-54 decision to Hartwick College on Monday evening.

The Hawks drop to 3-1 and will pay a visit to Mount Saint Mary College tomorrow at 7 p.m. Hartwick improves to 1-4 and hosts SUNY Oneonta tomorrow at 6 p.m.
Sophomore guard Sydney Pinn (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) posted a team-high 15 points and grabbed five rebounds. Junior forward Courtney Irby (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) and sophomore guard Jasmine Bryant (Elmont, N.Y./St. Mary's College Prep) each contributed 10 points with Irby collecting nine rebounds and three blocks while Bryant grabbed four rebounds and two steals.

Despite Hartwick opening up game play with four quick points, New Paltz responded with two 3-pointers from senior guard Colleen Ames (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) and Bryant to grab a brief lead. Hartwick managed to tie the score twice before pushing ahead with a 10-point run for a large 24-14 lead.

Hartwick continued its hot streak early in the second quarter, extending its lead to 19. New Paltz started a steady climb to decrease the deficit, outshooting Hartwick 13-9 with 1:17 left on the clock, but Hartwick once again held a 10-point advantage (37-27) heading into halftime.

Ames and Pinn jumpstarted the third quarter, posting a combined five points for the Hawks to cut the deficit in half. However two layups by junior forward Jacqui Foreman and senior forward Taylor Vonasek contributed to Hartwick's comfortable 12-point lead.

New Paltz gained momentum in the fourth quarter as junior guard Morgan Roessler (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) contributed three layups in the cylinder to help erase a 13-point deficit that brought the Hawks within one of Hartwick (52-51). However several late game fouls against New Paltz resulted in free-throw points to secure the final 63-54 score for Hartwick.

Hartwick held a 52-43 edge in rebounds and shot 36.2 percent (32-of-58) from the field but the Hawks managed to turn 22 of Hartwick's 25 turnovers into points while only committing 18 turnovers of their own.

Foreman posted a double-double for Hartwick with 15 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor, while Vonsek added 12 points and six rebounds.