NEW PALTZ, N.Y. - SUNY Geneseo junior guard Kara Houppert scored 10 points while senior forward Allison McKenna had six points, five blocks and matched her season-high of 14 rebounds as the Knights fell at New Paltz, 55-41, in State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) women's basketball action, Friday.

Senior guard Dana Cohan added six points and four assists as the Hawks forced 22 turnovers on the night to maintain the top spot in the conference standings (17-5, 12-3 SUNYAC). Junior forward Kit Small led the hosts with 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Following a lay-up by junior guard Katie Durand to give Geneseo (15-6, 10-4 SUNYAC) an early 4-0 lead at 6:09 in the first quarter, New Paltz responded with a 23-2 run to take a 17-point advantage, 23-6, at 6:13 in the second quarter.

At the 1:12 mark in the second quarter, Houppert made a lay-up to make it a 27-13 game, but Hawks' sophomore guard Sydney Pinn scored a basket with nine seconds on the clock to give the hosts a 29-13 lead at halftime.

With 4:50 to play in the third quarter, Pinn scored from long range to give New Paltz its largest lead of the game, 40-18. At 1:49, two free throws by junior forward Katie Vienneau made it 42-25, but the Hawks scored twice before the end of the quarter to hold a 21-point lead, 46-25, into the fourth.

Houppert made a jumper to bring the Knights within 14, 53-39, with 4:34 to play but that's as close as the team would get for the remainder of the game. 

Geneseo remains on the road to face Oneonta tomorrow at 2 p.m.