Alfred, N.Y. — Despite a strong fourth-quarter push, the SUNY Poly women's basketball team fell 65–53 on the road against the Alfred State Pioneers on Wednesday night. The Wildcats are now 2-4 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SUNY Poly opened the game with early energy as Alysa Jackson scored the first bucket of the night, finishing a layup in the paint at 9:37. The Wildcats generated several defensive stops, including a block by Sanaa Lee and steals by Bryanna Lucas and Kelsey Meca, but turnovers stalled the offense and allowed Alfred State to settle in.
The Pioneers capitalized at the free-throw line and on the offensive glass, pushing ahead 7–2 midway through the quarter. Lucas provided a spark at the 6:59 mark with a driving layup to close the gap, and later added a fastbreak finish with 1:40 remaining to make it 13–6. SUNY Poly continued to defend the paint well behind Lee's multiple blocks, but Alfred State extended its lead late on a tip-in and a three from Taylor Benjamin. A Kirsten Lighthall layup inside the final minute helped trim the deficit to 16–9 at the end of one.
Both teams traded defensive stops to open the second, but Alfred State found its rhythm from long range. The Pioneers hit back-to-back threes — one from Kirsten Merritt and another from Benjamin — to stretch the margin to double digits. SUNY Poly answered with a strong catch-and-shoot three from Isabella Kroll at the 5:41 mark, bringing the Wildcats within 22–12.
Alfred State responded immediately with another long-range barrage, knocking down three more threes and converting in transition to build its largest lead of the half. SUNY Poly continued to battle inside, getting layups from Jenna Kocienda and Amiyah Ferebee, but the Pioneers closed the frame on a 9–4 run to take a 39–18 advantage into halftime.
The Wildcats tightened things defensively after the break, forcing multiple early turnovers, including steals by Jackson and Kayla Wilson. SUNY Poly began chipping away offensively behind a put-back from Lee and a corner three from Jackson that made it 44–23 with 5:18 remaining.
Kelsey Meca added a three minutes later, and Wilson finished a strong drive to further cut into the deficit. The Wildcats' energy picked up, fueled by back-to-back steals and transition plays. Still, Alfred State's second-chance points and timely buckets, including a late tip-in and a pair of free throws, allowed the visitors to maintain a 53–29 lead heading into the fourth.
SUNY Poly mounted its best run of the night in the final period. Kiana Rojas sparked the Wildcats immediately, knocking down a jumper and converting a fastbreak layup off her own steal to pull within 53–33. Moments later, Kroll buried a deep three to cut the margin to 17.
Lucas took over during a dominant two-minute stretch, scoring three consecutive layups to bring SUNY Poly within single digits for the first time since the opening quarter at 57–48 with 4:32 remaining. A three from Lucas at the 5:08 mark and another fastbreak finish at 3:37 gave the Wildcats momentum.
Alfred State, however, responded with poise, hitting a late three and converting at the free-throw line to halt the run. Kroll added a mid-range jumper in the final minute, but the Pioneers closed out the game at the stripe to secure the 65–53 win.
