GENESEO, N.Y. - The SUNY Geneseo women's basketball team opened its season against William Smith College on Friday night at Schrader Gymnasium, falling 67-54. The Knights now move to 0-1 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The first quarter was tied 2-2 after Audrey Hintz scored on a layup from Kathleen Birmingham. William Smith then scored 10 of the next 11 points to take a 12-3 lead. Jordyn Townes, Hintz and Elizabeth Craft accounted for the rest of Geneseo's scoring, and the Herons led 20-11 after one quarter.
- In the second quarter, Craft opened with a put-back layup, and Zephyr Connolly finished a layup off her own steal with an assist from Craft to cut the deficit to 20-15. The Herons answered with five straight points and led 39-24 at halftime. Townes scored five points in the quarter, including a jumper with three seconds left in the half.
- The third quarter ended 17-17. Sofia Vasselman and Aliza Whitehead opened the half with layups to make it 39-28. Whitehead later assisted on two Kristin Suydam layups, with a Suydam block in between, to bring Geneseo within 44-34. After William Smith extended its lead to 48-34, the Knights scored seven straight points at the free-throw line. A Townes steal led to two Ellie Clearwater free throws, Townes made two of her own and added another steal, and Hintz made three of four to cut the deficit to 48-41 with 1:47 left. The Herons closed the quarter with eight straight points to lead 56-41.
- Trailing by 15 to start the fourth quarter, Geneseo won the period 13-11, with all of its field-goal points coming in the paint. Suydam opened the quarter with a layup from Craft. After a William Smith three-pointer made it 59-43, Craft made a free throw and then scored on a fast-break layup set up by a Clearwater steal and assist. With the Herons ahead 61-46, the Knights scored six straight points. Hintz scored on a layup from Craft, Craft finished a fast-break layup off her own steal, and Clearwater scored on the break to make it 61-52 with 2:25 left. William Smith hit a three-pointer to go up 64-52. Suydam answered with a jumper from Connolly, and the Herons made three free throws in the final minute to close out a 67-54 win.
QUICK FACTS:
- Suydam led the team with 12 points on 6-of-13 shooting, adding six rebounds and three blocks off the bench.
- Hintz finished with 11 points and six rebounds and went 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.
- Craft added 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting with three assists and three steals.
- Townes contributed nine points, five rebounds and two steals.
- Geneseo topped William Smith in points in the paint (36-20), bench points (36-23) and steals (11-4).
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Knights will play an exhibition at Le Moyne College on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. in Syracuse.
