SUNY Cobleskill Womens Basketball Falls to Oneonta

COBLESKILL – The SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team put together a strong second-half surge and nearly erased a double-digit deficit, but the comeback push came up just short in a 65-61 loss to Oneonta on Monday night inside the Iorio Gymnasium.

Jaiyla Colon (Worcester, MA) led the Tigers with a season-high 14 points to go along with eight rebounds and five assists, shooting an efficient 45.5 percent from the floor and knocking down both of her attempts from beyond the arc. Kate Hadwen (Fair Haven, VT) added 12 points, including a pair of timely three-pointers that fueled Cobleskill’s third-quarter run. Senior Kayleigh Bryant (Schenevus, NY) turned in a strong all-around effort with 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a block, while fellow senior Mady Victorin (Menands, NY) chipped in eight points, seven boards and a block. Junior guard Hannah Bonczkowski (Gilbertsville, NY) added eight points and three rebounds off the bench.

Cobleskill finished the night shooting 31.1 percent from the field, 26.1 percent from three and 68 percent at the free-throw line. Oneonta shot 39.7 percent overall, 28.6 percent from deep and 48.4 percent at the line. The Dragons held a narrow edge on the glass, 45-41, and controlled the paint, outscoring the Tigers 32-16 inside. Cobleskill found success from its bench, outscoring Oneonta 29-22, while also holding a 15-10 advantage in assists and a 24-19 edge in second-chance points. Both teams took care of the ball, committing just eight turnovers apiece.

Oneonta struck first with a 5-0 burst in the opening minute before Victorin got the Tigers on the board with a mid-range jumper off a Hadwen assist. The Dragons pushed the lead to 14-4, but Cobleskill closed the quarter with renewed energy. A Bonczkowski layup trimmed the deficit, and Colon beat the buzzer with a corner three to make it 16-9 after one.

The Tigers carried that momentum into the second quarter as Victorin converted a pair of free throws, but Oneonta responded with a 6-0 run to stretch the lead to 24-13. Colon stopped the run with a smooth jumper, yet the Dragons answered again to build a 30-16 advantage. Cobleskill closed the half on a positive note, as a Bonczkowski floater and two Bryant free throws sent the teams into the locker room with Oneonta leading 30-20.

Oneonta opened the third quarter with its largest lead of the night at 35-20, but Cobleskill answered with its best stretch of the game. The Tigers rattled off a 12-2 run, cutting the deficit to 37-32, as Hadwen knocked down two threes and a free throw while the defense held Oneonta to just two points over four minutes. The Dragons briefly regained control at 45-34, but Cobleskill responded again, scoring 10 unanswered points in a two-minute span to pull within one, 45-44. Zaylee Ramos sparked the rally with five points, and Hadwen capped it with another triple. Oneonta closed the quarter with a three to take a 48-44 lead into the fourth.

Colon opened the final frame with a jumper to make it 48-46, but Oneonta created separation with a 7-1 run. The Tigers continued to chip away, as Ramos hit two free throws to make it 60-57 with 2:23 left, and Bryant followed with a layup to keep it a one-possession game at 62-59. Hadwen knocked down a mid-range jumper with 15 seconds remaining to cut the margin to 64-61, but Oneonta sealed the game at the line, closing out the 65-61 decision.

Up Next:

The Fighting Tigers return to action on January 5, traveling to UMaine-Presque Isle for a North Atlantic Conference road matchup scheduled for 6:00 p.m.