Marcy, NY:   The SUNY Cobleskill women's basketball defeated SUNY Canton 79-56 in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) semifinals hosted at SUNY Poly.  With the win, the number two seed Tigers advance to the NAC West Division Championship Game against number one seed SUNY Poly.  This will be their first ever appearance in the divisional championship game. The Tigers improve to 16-9 overall and SUNY Canton finish their season with a 14-12 record.

Freshman Talia Washington (Schenectady, NY) played a well-rounded game and finished with a team-high 16 points (4-10), five assists and three rebounds. Sophomore Annie Canales (North Adams, Mass) added 12 points (4-7 from three point range).  The forward duo of senior Jordan Finch (East Meredith, NY) and Emily Satterday (Latham, NY) dominated the paint for the Tigers.  Finch finished with 11 points and six rebounds while Satterday collected a team high 10 rebounds and chipped in seven points.

The Tigers scored the first bucket thanks to a three pointer by Annie Canales. Both teams battled back and forth to the early stages of the game and with 3:35 left in the first quarter it was all tied up at 11-11 after a Sierra Delaney (Ballston Spa, NY) layup.  With 6 seconds left, the Tigers sent Canton to the free throw line where the Roo's convert both and took a 15-13 lead into the second quarter.

Both teams came out hot in the second half trying to push the tempo after a slow first quarter.  A Talia Washington (Schenectady, NY) three-pointer tied the ball game up at 22-22 with 6:12 left to play in the half.  Canton clung onto a narrow lead until Meacham made two free throws to give the Tigers a 27-26 lead with 3:10 to play.  Then freshman Sierra Goodson (Amsterdam, NY) buried a three pointer at the 1:22 mark to extend the lead to 33-26.  The Tigers went into the half with a 33-31 lead over the number three seed.

At the half, Washington tallied eight points to lead the Tigers.  Senior Jordan Finch added six points and four rebounds.  Cobleskill shot 10-29 (34.5 percent) from the field and 8-16 from the line.  The Tigers bench outscored the Roo's bench 14-7.

Meacham started the second half with a quick three points after a made free throw and a layup.  Another made three pointer by Washington at the 7:43 mark gave Cobleskill a commanding 41-33 lead.  Then it was Annie Canales turn as she caught fire from beyond the arc and hit two threes in less than a minute to push the lead to 49-38 with 5:04 to play. Tough defense by the Tigers stifled Canton at every turn as the Tigers continued to step on the gas pedal and led 55-38 with 2:47 left in the quarter.  Cobleskill headed into the final quarter with a 56-43 lead.

With 6:29 left in the game, the Tigers held a strong 63-49 lead thanks to excellent defensive teamwork. It was Goodson who delivered the final dagger as she stepped into a made three pointer to extend the lead to 18 points with 4:20 left in the game, 70-52. Cobleskill finished the game with a 79-56 victory.

Cobleskill shot 42.4 percent (25-59) from the field and 40 percent from deep (10-25). Both teams finished with 43 rebounds, but the Cobleskill bench shined as they outscored Canton's bench 34-14.  The Tigers scored 17 second chance points and caused 15 turnovers.
 
Cobleskill will advance to the NAC West Division Championship game against SUNY Poly on Saturday, February 18^th, at 2:00 pm at Marcy, New York.