POTSDAM, N.Y. – The Cortland women's basketball team never trailed but had to hold off numerous Potsdam charges in the second half as the Red Dragons defeated the host Bears, 64-55, to remain unbeaten in SUNYAC play. 
 
Cortland won its ninth straight game to improve to 10-2 overall and 6-0 in the SUNYAC. Potsdam, which entered the game third in the league standings, dropped to 8-3 overall and 3-2 in the league. 
 
Maggie Malone (Cornwall) scored 19 points and led Cortland in scoring for the fourth straight game. She made 7-of-13 shots from the floor and all four of her free throws. Sarah Tully (East Aurora) also was 7-of-13 from the field and scored a career-high 16 points for the second consecutive game. She also recorded seven rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals. 
 
Nyia Longford (Medford/Longwood) added 11 points and five rebounds, while Shannon McGuire (West Babylon) had eight points and team highs of nine rebounds and seven assists. Julia Siler (Seaford) chipped in with six rebounds, two assists and four points in 16 minutes off the bench and Casey Travers (Manorville/Eastport-South Manor) ended with five rebounds, three assists and two blocks. 
 
Madison McCormick paced Potsdam with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Xy'El Bradford scored 10 points and hauled in five rebounds. 
 
Cortland led 17-8 late in the first quarter but only by four, 17-13, at the end of the period. The Red Dragons built eight-point leads three times in the second quarter, but each time the Bears responded and Cortland held a 32-27 halftime advantage. 
 
Potsdam quickly closed to within 32-31 two minutes into the third quarter but couldn't tie or take the lead. Cortland re-established a 49-40 lead with 2:03 remaining in the third, but that margin dwindled to four, 51-47, entering the final stanza. 
 
Each team managed to score only six points over the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter. Potsdam was within 56-53 on a Caroline LaFountain layup with 5:14 left. Longford hit a free throw at the 3:16 mark to make it a four-point game, and Tully's layup with 1:26 remaining extended the margin to six. The lead remained at six or higher after that, with Malone and Tully each hitting a free throw and Siler making two foul shots in the last 40 seconds to seal the victory. 
 
Cortland travels to Brockport Tuesday for a 2 p.m. contest - the start time was recently changed.