PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's basketball team gave No. 25 Geneseo a good challenge Friday night inside Memorial Hall but took a 71-60 loss to drop to 5-10 overall and 4-5 in the SUNYAC while the Knights improve to 14-1, 9-0 in the conference.

Sophomore guard/forward Taylor Durnin (Lyon Mountain, N.Y. / Northern Adirondack) led the Cardinals with a career high 19 points and added five assists while junior guard/forward Bella DePasquale (Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley) picked up her first collegiate double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Geneseo had an 11 point lead with four minutes left in the first quarter when the Cardinals went on an eight point run.

Junior guard Anna Thompson (Poughkeepsie, N.Y. / Spackenkill) started it with a free throw, Durnin made a jumper after a steal, freshman guard/ forward Lauren Lawliss (Peru, N.Y. / Peru) made two free throws and DePasquale drained a three-pointer.

Geneseo made a free throw to take a four point edge and Durnin cut it to one with a three-pointer. The Knights put in a layup and a three-pointer and Durnin ended the quarter with two free throws and a jumper to head into the second quarter down by two.

DePasquale cut the lead to one point with a free throw to start the second. The Cardinals only allowed the Knights to take a five point advantage and stuck with them, cutting it to two points three times before Geneseo ended the quarter with a layup and free throw to head into halftime up 39-34.

Plattsburgh State held Geneseo to just eight points in the third quarter and put up a fight in the fourth.  

The Knight took an 11 point advantage and DePasquale knocked it to eight with a three-pointer. Two free throws put Geneseo up by ten but the Cardinals countered with two free throws from Thompson, a jumper by sophomore forward Frannie Merkel (Brewster, N.Y./Brewster) and another three from Durnin to make it a three point game with 7:05 left.

DePasquale made it a two point game with 6:09 remaining after draining a three. Geneseo took a ten point cushion with two minutes left and freshman guard Theresa Quinn (Cromwell, Conn. / Cromwell) cut it to eight with a layup.

Unfortunately the Knights were able to benefit from Cardinal fouls and make three free throws to end the game and take an 11 point win.

Plattsburgh State is home Saturday, Jan. 20 to host The College at Brockport at 1 p.m. and will hold their annual Meet the Cardinals autograph session after their game.