CORTLAND, N.Y. – Junior forward Courtney Irby (Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale) recorded a career-high 22 points to help the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team surge past SUNY Cortland for a 73-63 road win on Saturday afternoon.
 
New Paltz commanded the lead throughout the first two quarters of game play. The Hawks erased Cortland's five-point edge in the first period to grab a 12-9 advantage and continued to push the pace in the second session.

The Red Dragons would trim the deficit within three as the clock ticked down but would fall behind by a margin of 10 as sophomore guard/forward Laura Stuart (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue) drained a last second 3-pointer to push the Hawks to a 37-30 edge at the half.

With the third period underway, the Red Dragons chipped away at the Hawks' lead, eventually tying the score to 44-all before jumping ahead on six unanswered points.
 
The Hawks trailed 52-46 in the fourth quarter but quickly responded by tying the score to 57-all as sophomore guardJasmine Bryant (Elmont, N.Y./St. Mary's Prep) hit a layup and a free throw for New Paltz. The Hawks and the Red Dragons remained in a tug of war for the lead, twice drawing out an even score, until New Paltz tallied 10 unanswered points with 2:35 remaining to take the win.
 
Both teams finished with 40 rebounds apiece. The Hawks shot 40.4 percent from the floor (23-of-57) and concluded the game with 27 points off turnovers and 27 bench points. The Red Dragons shot 38.2 from the field (26-of-68) while shooting 75 percent from the line (6-of-8) and grabbed 30 points in the paint.
 
Irby hit 8-of-11 from the field and 6-of-7 from the line to lead the Hawks. Bryant followed with a career-high 19 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the floor and 3-of-6 beyond the arc while converting 4-of-4 free throw attempts. Senior guardColleen Ames (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) chipped in 12 points to the Hawks efforts while junior guard/forwardKit Small (Slingersland, N.Y./Academy of the Holy Names) led the team with eight boards.
 
Junior forward Alyssa Crosby recorded 17 points and seven boards to pace the Red Dragons with teammate junior guard/forward Stephanie Rice adding 15 points and junior guard Jennifer Deuel collecting 10 points and a team-high seven assists.
 
The Hawks improve to 12-5, 7-3 and continue on their five game road swing when the play Catskill Cup rival SUNY Oneonta on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m. Cortland falls to 12-5, 7-3 and next play at The College at Brockport on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m.