Cobleskill, NY: The SUNY Cobleskill women's basketball team continued their strong season with a decisive 78-61 victory over Western Connecticut State University on Thursday evening at home in the Iorio Gymnasium.
Cara Walker (Phelps, NY/Midlakes) flirted with a triple-double, recording 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists while shooting an efficient 4-for-6 from the field and 7-for-8 at the free-throw line.
Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls, NY) contributed 13 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and two assists on 6-for-10 shooting.
Annie Canales (North Adams, MA/Hoosac Valley) added 11 points, including 2-for-7 from three-point range, along with an assist and a rebound.
Taylor Meacham (Berne, NY/BKW) was a force inside, tallying 11 points, eight rebounds, and a steal, while
Antonia May (Amsterdam, NY) chipped in with eight points, five rebounds, and four assists, shooting 4-for-5 from the line.
The Fighting Tigers, now 11-2 overall, dominated the stat sheet, outshooting WestConn with a 44.8% field goal percentage compared to the visitors' 31.3%. Cobleskill also held the advantage from beyond the arc (31.6% to 18.8%) and on the boards, outrebounding WestConn 45-37. Cobleskill dished out 21 assists to WestConn's 11 and controlled the paint with a 34-24 scoring edge. The Fighting Tigers' bench also outscored WestConn's reserves 25-21.
The first quarter was a tight contest, with the score tied at 10-10 at the 3:05 mark.
Kayleigh Bryant (Schenevus, NY) sparked a 4-0 Cobleskill run with an and-one, and
Annie Canales capped the quarter with a three-pointer, giving Cobleskill a 17-12 lead.
WestConn rallied to tie the game at 23-23 in the second quarter, but back-to-back three-pointers by Thayne and Canales swung the momentum back to the Fighting Tigers.
Taylor Meacham hit a three-pointer with 28 seconds left in the half, sending Cobleskill into the locker room with a 36-27 lead.
The Tigers roared out of halftime, unleashing a 19-3 run to build a commanding 55-30 lead by the 4:25 mark of the third quarter. The run featured three-pointers from
Kyra Pence (Randolph, NY) and Walker, as well as contributions from across the roster. Cobleskill maintained a 58-38 lead heading into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Cobleskill held firm, leading 70-49 after a layup by Canales with 4:31 remaining. Although WestConn trimmed the deficit to 74-60 with 1:28 to play, free throws by Bryant and Canales sealed the 78-61 victory.
The Fighting Tigers return to action on Saturday, January 4, hosting Tufts University in a non-conference matchup at 4:00 p.m. in the Iorio Gymnasium.
