WESTFIELD, Mass.  --  Tournament MVP Paige Niemayer scored 19 points on 8 of 8 shooting from the floor,  and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Hawks to an 83-66 win over Westfield State in the championship game of the Westfield State University Holiday Tournament.

The game was one of runs, as the Hawks opened up a 14-0 lead out of the gate on Westfield with Neimayer netting six of the opening 14 in the first 1:09 of the game as the Hawks were able to break the Owls' press.

Westfield answered with shut-down defense for the remainder of the quarter, and outscores New Paltz 10-1 for the rest of the quarter.

New Paltz led 40-37 at the half, but Westfield captured the momentum in the early stages of the third quarter, battling all the way back to take a 46-45 lead on Allison Hester's short jumper with 6:25 left in the third.

The Hawks then embarked on a sustained 19-3 run that was capped at the 9:08 mark with a driving layup from Lindsay Bettke that gave the Hawks a 64-49 lead.

Madison Van Pelt added 18 points and eight rebounds, and Marion Dietz contributed 15 points and seven rebounds for the Hawks. Rachel Simon turned in a fine all-court performance with 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

New Paltz improves to 5-5 on the season with the win, while Westfield State is now 6-6.

Westfield was led by 11 points from senior guard Alyssa Darling. Kierra McCarthy added eight and Janaiya Sanchez seven.

Westfield will be idle until January 4, when the Owls travel to Albertus Magnus for a non-conference game.  New Paltz will next play on January 5, hosting Oswego State in a SUNYAC conference tilt.