NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team managed to slip past Vassar College, 63-60, on Tuesday evening in the Hawk Center.
 
The Hawks rise to 7-2 and return to action when they host SUNY Cortland on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. The Brewers fall to 1-5 and will face Salem State University on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 4 p.m.
 
Both teams traded points in the first quarter but Vassar would pull ahead with a 3-point lead (12-9) on a jump shot by sophomore guard/forward Ariella Rosenthal.
 
The Brewers would maintain their edge before junior guard Morgan Roessler (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) sunk a 3-pointer at 6:51 to push the Hawks ahead by one before freshman guard/forward Laura Stuart (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) extended the lead to two with a made free throw attempt.
 
Vassar was able to catch New Paltz on two good free throws by senior guard Caitlin Drakeley before pushing a 7-0 run for a five-point lead at the break (27-22).
 
The Brewers extended their edge to eight points with 3:15 left in the third quarter. Junior forward Courtney Irby(Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) would cut the score to two at 0:36 seconds, making two free throws but Vassar pulled ahead for another five point advantage.
 
The fourth quarter saw both teams battle on the court for the lead, each tying up the score more than once.

New Paltz hit its stride as a 3-point shot by junior guard/forward Kit Small (Slingersland, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) at 1:44 catapulted the Hawks ahead. Vassar managed to trim the deficit to one on a jump shot by Rosenthal but Small would connect on her final two free throws to seal the win for New Paltz.  

Vassar held a 42-35 advantage in rebounds and shot 46.3 percent from the floor (25-of-54) while the Hawks turned 19 Vassar's 29 turnovers into points, committing just 17 of their own.
 
Irby turned in a double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds and 16 points while shooting 6-of-8 from the foul line. Smalls led the team with 17 points and was 8-of-8 in free throws while senior guard Colleen Ames (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) added 13 points.
 
Drakeley and Rosenthal posted 16 points apiece to lead the Brewers. Senior forward Colleen O'Connell collected seven rebounds off the bench to lead the team while senior forward Rose Serafini notched four blocks.