COBLESKILL WOMEN DOWN HERKIMER 59-36 IN REGION III TOURNEY

The SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team used a balanced offense and their trademark aggressive defense to easily defeat the Generals of Herkimer Community College by a 59-36 margin at the 2008 NJCAA Region III Division III Women’s Championship Tournament hosted by Tompkins-Cortland Community College in Dryden, NY. With the victory the number four seeded Fighting Tigers establish a new program record for most wins in a single season as they improve to 25-4 for the campaign. The number five seeded Generals finish the season with a 17-12 overall mark.

The Fighting Tiger defense continuously stiffed the Generals’ offense throughout the contest holding Herkimer to only 11-of-63, 17.5%, from the field. The Orange & Black also held the Generals to only 7-of-43, 16.3%, from beyond the three-point line while forcing them to turn the ball over 23 times in the contest.

Freshman guard Laura Tisinger, Gloversville, NY, Gloversville High School, led the way for Cobleskill scoring a career high of 18 points on the night connecting on 6-of-10 shots from the floor including 3-of-4 from three-point range. Also contributing to the victory were senior forward April Ackermann, South Huntington, NY, Sullivan West High School, who posted a double/double on the evening with 10 points and 10 rebounds and freshman guard/forward Jessica Byerwalters, Coeymans Hollow, NY, Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk High School, who scored six points and had 11 rebounds.

Rounding out the Fighting Tiger attack were: freshman center Shelley Pierson, Watervliet, NY, Watervliet High School, with six points and four rebounds, freshman forward Sharee Daniels, Poughkeepsie, NY, F.D. Roosevelt High School, with six points and five rebounds and senior point guard Trista Thomas, Brooklyn, NY, Erasmus Hall High School, with six points and three rebounds. Freshman point guard Nicole Garzon, Bayside, NY, Benjamin Cardozo High School, also chipped in four points, six rebounds and four assists in the victory.

“We came out a little jittery tonight but once we overcame our nervousness we settled down and played one of our best games of the year,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Josh Suttles. “We did an excellent job of contesting shooters and attacking them with our pressure. Tonight we also controlled the boards with 51 rebounds including 16 offensive rebounds. I also thought that we did a good job of sharing the basketball tonight and playing unselfishly. Now we’ve got to get ready for the semifinals tomorrow.”

 The Fighting Tigers will meet the tournament’s number one seeded team the Hornets of Broome Community College, 28-1, at Tompkins-Cortland Community College in Dryden, NY with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 PM.