PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – After tying the game at 60 and taking a 61-60 lead momentarily with less than three minutes remaining, the Plattsburgh State women's basketball team was outscored 10-0 and came up just short falling to New Paltz 70-61 in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) play on Saturday evening. Senior guard/forward Payton Couture (Redford, N.Y. / Saranac) had a strong performance with 15 points eclipsing the 1,000-point career milestone. Couture also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and had four assists.

Junior guard Jaden Wilson (Johnstown, N.Y. / Johnstown) led the Cardinal offense with 16 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Junior center Imani Walcott (Albany, N.Y. / Albany) was in double figures on the evening, with 11 points, five rebounds, a block, and a steal. Sophomore guard Julia Greek (Long Island, N.Y. / Ward Melville) led the team in assists with a game-high five to go with eight points and five rebounds. Selma Deiz (Bekkestua, Norway / Nadderud VGS) contributed six points while Kayla Johanessen (Hyde Park, N.Y. / Our Lady of Lourdes) and Kathy Peterson-Ross (lake Forest, Ill. / Lake Forest) both grabbed five rebounds.

For the Hawks, Abby Korzekwinski led all players in scoring with 20 points to go with a game-high 11 rebounds for a double-double. Julia Sabatino and Hanna Vanderzee were also in double figures with 14 and 10 points respectively while Sabatino led the team in assists with four.

The Cardinals had an efficient day from the three-point line knocking down 9 of 20 at 45.0% and shot a solid 39.2% from the field and 85.87% from the free throw line. The Hawks only shot 14.3% from the three, a solid 36.6% from the field, and 78.9% from the free throw line. The Cardinals were solid on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 41-36 but New Paltz had the advantage in second-chance points with 12 to Plattsburgh's six. The Hawks took advantage of Plattsburgh's turnovers and recorded 29 points off turnovers while the Cardinals only had six.

Plattsburgh State falls to 10-6 (6-3 SUNYAC) with the loss and is back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m. when they welcome the Bears of Potsdam. New Paltz rises to 11-6 (10-0 SUNYAC) with the win and is back in action on Tuesday, Jan. 28 when they host Oswego State for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

The first quarter saw the Cardinals jump out to a 9-2 lead at the 7:58 mark after a three-pointer from Deisz and two from Wilson. The Hawks battled back and tied the game at 13 on a layup from Sierra Carter at the 5:00 mark. That layup was part of a 9-0 New Paltz run that put the Hawks in front 19-13 at the 2:31 mark. A three-pointer from Deiz ended the run but the Hawks closed out the first with back-to-back baskets and took a 24-16 lead into the second quarter.

Back-to-back three-pointers from Wilson to start the second quarter followed by back-to-back layups from Wilson and Greek closed the gap and tied the game at 26 at the 5:17 mark. Play continued to go back and forth after an exchange of layups to end the second quarter tied the score at 32 at halftime.

The third quarter had five lead changes as each team responded to the other's run beginning with a 6-0 run for Plattsburgh courtesy of Walcott that put the Cardinals ahead 38-34 at the 7:25 mark. The Hawks responded with a 5-0 burst and took a 41-39 lead momentarily at the 3:40 mark, however, back-to-back three-pointers from Greek and Couture put the Cardinals back ahead 46-43 at the 1:58 mark and the Cardinals went into the fourth quarter with a 49-47 lead.

A 7-2 Plattsburgh run to start the fourth put the Cardinals ahead by seven and made the score 57-53 at the 6:13 mark until five straight points from New Paltz gave the Hawks a 60-59 lead at the 3:25 mark. Two free throws from Peterson-Ross tied and then gave Plattsburgh a 61-60 lead at the 3:17 mark but New Paltz outscored the Cardinals 10-0 the rest of the way ultimately winning 70-61.