SCHENECTADY, NY — Freshman Kristen Sitek scored 13 points and freshman guard Nicole Sarcone tallied 11 points and New Paltz had a strong defensive second half to down Union, 60-52 in a non-league women’s basketball game at the Viniar Atheltic Center Tuesday night. The Hawks improved to 2-1 while the Dutchwomen fell to 0-2.
New Paltz outscored the hosts, 26-19 in the second half, and held Union to 28% shooting in the second 20 minutes. Union shot 35% for the game and New Paltz shot 37%, and the Dutchwomen had a 41-29 rebounding advantage.
Freshman forward Chelsea Clarke and junior Amber Sohns each had nine points, while Sohns had a team high six rebounds for the Hawks.
New Paltz led 34-33 at halftime, and the score did not change until Union’s Marissa Dwyer tied it with a free throw with 16:34 left. But the Hawks then went on a 9-0 run in the next 3:28 for a 43-34 lead with 13:06 remaining in the second stanza. Sitek had five points in that run. Union did not get on the board in the second half until there was 12:07 left, when Hammond made a free throw to make it 43-35. The guests led by as many as 11 at 48-37 with 8:28 remaining, and by a high of 13 (60-47 with 55 seconds left to play). The Hawks’ bench outscored Union’s, 31-4 in the contest, and the Hawks had a 24-14 advantage in points after turnovers. Union had 20 second chance points, allowing four.
New Paltz hosts SUNYAC league rival Fredonia Friday at 6 p.m.
