CORTLAND, N.Y. - SUNY Geneseo sophomore guard Natalie Alfieri scored a game-high 14 points as the Knights earned a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) victory, defeating Cortland, 67-53, on Saturday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Geneseo jumped out to a 9-0 lead with 3:46 remaining in the first quarter and led by as many as 13 points in the first quarter, but Cortland drilled a three-pointer in the final seconds to cut the lead to 10.
• In the second quarter, Cortland cut the lead to single-digits but Alfieri completed a three-point play with 5:14 to go to put the Knights back up by 12. The Knights entered the halftime break leading, 37-25.
• Alfieri scored seven of Geneseo's 17 third-quarter points while senior forward McKenna Brooks added four points and block in the period as the team extended its lead to 54-38.
• The Knights took a 17-point lead, their largest of the game, when junior guard Madison McCulley drained a three-pointer with 8:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. Geneseo held the hosts at bay, not allowing them within 14 points for the rest of the contest, earning its second conference victory.

QUICK FACTS

• The two teams combined to begin the game 0-for-18 from the floor, Geneseo did not record its first field goal until 5:30 into the game while Cortland was held without a field goal until the 6:25 mark.
• The Knights shot a season-low 36.2% (25-for-69), but they also committed a season-low 10 turnovers.
• Junior guard Sara Ciotti and senior guard Kelsey Poplawski each scored 10 points while Brooks finished with eight points and team-high nine rebounds with a block and a steal. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Knights (8-0, 2-0 SUNYAC) will return home on Friday, Dec. 7 to host Potsdam with tip-off scheduled for 5:30 p.m.