The SUNY New Paltz Women’s Basketball team overcame a 13-point fourth quarter deficit in a come-from-behind, overtime win over defending champion SUNY Geneseo in the 2019 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Tournament Final, on Feb. 23.
Rachel Simon ’19 led all scorers with 22 points, and Tournament MVP Lindsay Bettke ’19 added 17 (including 8 clutch points in overtime) in the 63-57 victory.
New Paltz is now guaranteed entry into the NCAA Division III tournament, which begins on Friday, March 1.
Scroll down to relive a few of our favorite moments, courtesy of Photographer Robin Weinstein.
The Hawks secured a title game on their home court with their 70-67 semifinals win over SUNY Brockport on Friday, Feb. 22.When the Hawks fell behind early, Philesha Teape helped keep things positive. “I kept hearing Phil say, ‘We’re winning this game,'” Coach Jamie Seward said.The home crowd at the Hawk Center came fired up and stayed loud through the final buzzer.As has been the case all season, team captain Lindsay Bettke was an emotional leader on the court, scoring 8 of the Hawks’ 11 points in the decisive overtime period. “We looked each other in the eyes and locked in: We’re going to make a play,” she said.Rachel Simon led all scorers and was huge from the free throw line, with two at the end of regulation to tie the game at 52, and two more to ice it in the final seconds. The scene on the sideline as Simon put the Hawks up to stay.Head Coach Jamie Seward, already the winningest coach in New Paltz Women’s Basketball history, adds a third conference title to his resume.
