PLATTSBURGH, N. Y. – The Plattsburgh State women's basketball team celebrated two seniors on Saturday afternoon and ended their season with a State University of New York Athletic Conference victory against Oneonta, winning 50-48. The game marked finals games for guard
Mya Smith (Wappingers Falls, N.Y. / Roy C. Ketcham) and team manager
Caitlin Kolesar (Hillsborough, N.J / Hillsborough)
Payton Couture (Redford, N.Y. / Saranac) led all players in points with 19, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out four assists.
Imani Walcott (Albany, N.Y. / Albany) led all players in rebounds with 15 and put in seven points to pair with two blocks.
Kathy Peterson-Ross (Lake Forest Ill. / Lake Forest) had seven rebounds to go with four points.
Selma Deisz (Bekkestua, Norway / Nadderud VGS) and
Jaden Wilson (Johnstown N.Y. / Johnstown) each had six points and four rebounds. In her final game as a Cardinal Smith had four points, three assists, and one steal.
Bri Brousseau (Peru, N.Y. / Peru) also had four points, grabbed six rebounds, and had three blocks.
For the Red Dragons, Sophia Wakin led her team in points with 14. Amanda Zuntag and Jenna Harclerode were also in double figures with 13 and 10 respectively.
Neither team shot well from the field, with Plattsburgh holding the edge shooting 30.0% to Oneonta's 24.4%. Though the three-point percentage wasn't excellent, the Cardinals made 6 of 21 at 28.6% while the Red Dragons made 1 of 9 at 11.1%. The Cardinals got help from the free-throw line as they doubled the Red Dragons' makes, making 14 of 21 at 66.7% while the Red Dragons made 7 of 9 at 77.8%. The Red Dragons won the rebounding battle 54-46 and got 16 second-chance points compared to the Cardinals eight.
The team ended their season 10-14 overall (7-11 SUNYAC). Oneonta finished their regular season 10-15 overall (8-10 SUNYAC) and have advanced to the SUNYAC Tournament as the No. 6 seed where they will go on the road to face the No. 3 seed Geneseo on Feb 20. at 7 pm.
The first quarter saw each team go basket for basket as neither team led by more than four. Zuntag got the Red Dragons on the board first with a layup followed by a jumper from Couture. The teams traded baskets quite a few times as the lead changed hands four times. Couture gave the Cardinals their first lead at the 5:00 mark on a three that made the score 7-6. The lead changed at the 2:40 mark on a layup from Harclerode and then again at the 2:31 mark on a free throw from Couture that made the score 12-11 Cardinals. Zuntag ended the first with a layup as the Red Dragons closed the first up 13-12.
The second quarter stayed competitive as the Red Dragons went into halftime only up by one. Harclerode opened the second with a jumper followed by a layup from Walcott. A jumper from Wakin made the score 21-16 and stretched the Red Dragons lead to five with a little over five minutes to go. Smith gave the Cardinals the lead at the 3:39 mark on a free throw that made the score 22-21. A jumper to end the second from Wakin gave the Red Dragons the lead 27-26 at the end of two.
Both teams scored 11 points in the third with the Red Dragons up by one still after three. Zuntag opened the third with a layup followed by a made free throw from Couture and a three from Peterson-Ross. A layup from Brousseau changed the lead once again and made the score 33-21 Cardinals at the 5:44 mark. The lead didn't last long as a layup from Wakin gave the Red Dragons back the lead. The teams continuously traded buckets as the Red Dragons ended the third up 38-37.
The fourth quarter saw the Cardinals take control as they took the lead for good at the 7:47 mark and didn't give it back. Brousseau opened the fourth with a layup that gave the Cardinals back the lead momentarily until Zuntag responded with a layup of her own. Couture responded with a three that made the score 42-40 and gave the Cardinals the lead for good as Oneonta threatened when they tied the score but didn't regain the lead. At the 4:04 mark, a Molly Stephens jumper tied the game at 44. Deisz responded with a three that cushioned the Cardinals' lead. With less than a minute to go Couture was intentionally fouled and made a free throw as was Walcott and made the score 49-44. The Red Dragons scored four straight points that cut the Cardinal lead to one but a clutch free throw from Peterson-Ross put it back at two as the Cardinals held on to win 50-48.
