Cobleskill, NY – The SUNY Cobleskill women's basketball team was locked in a defensive battle through the first half, but Maine Maritime Academy pulled away after halftime to hand the Tigers a 58-39 North Atlantic Conference setback Friday night in the Iorio Gymnasium.

Hannah Bonczkowski (Gilbertsville, NY) led Cobleskill with 10 points and four rebounds, knocking down a pair of three-pointers. Jaiyla Colon (Worcester, MA) turned in an all-around effort with eight points, nine rebounds, a block and a steal while shooting 4-of-9 from the field. Kyara Triblet (Colonie, NY) provided a spark off the bench with seven points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Zaylee Ramos (Worcester, MA) also finished with seven points to go along with three rebounds, two assists and a steal.

In a physical, defense-first contest that featured five lead changes, Cobleskill shot 23 percent from the field compared to Maine Maritime's 31.7 percent. Both teams were nearly even from beyond the arc, with the Tigers shooting 25 percent and the Mariners 26.9 percent. Maine Maritime held a rebounding edge, 48-40, which led to a 14-4 advantage in second-chance points. Cobleskill's bench outscored the visitors 28-12, and both teams finished with six steals and 12 points off turnovers.

Cobleskill opened the game with early energy, taking a 4-2 lead behind two pull-up jumpers from Colon. Maine Maritime answered with an 8-0 run to take a 10-4 advantage in a tightly contested first quarter. Free throws from Mady Victorin and Kate Hadwen helped the Tigers trim the deficit late, as Cobleskill trailed 10-6 after one.

Victorin opened the second quarter with a turnaround finish inside, and the Tigers continued to grind on the defensive end. Trailing 15-10, Cobleskill put together a 6-0 run sparked by a Colon layup and capped by a Ramos finish to take a 16-15 lead with under three minutes remaining. The teams traded responses down the stretch, as Ramos buried a three off a Triblet assist and Hadwen followed with a triple of her own to give Cobleskill a 22-19 edge. Maine Maritime answered in the final moments of the half, however, tying the game at 22-22 heading into the break.

The third quarter proved decisive, as the Mariners opened the half on an 18-2 run to create separation and take a 40-24 lead. Cobleskill showed resilience, clawing back into the game behind Bonczkowski, who scored eight straight points on two three-pointers and a layup to cut the deficit to 40-32. Maine Maritime regrouped late in the quarter and carried a 41-32 lead into the fourth.

Maine Maritime continued to build momentum early in the final period, using a 10-2 run over the first five minutes to extend the lead to 51-34. The Tigers continued to compete, but the early fourth-quarter push proved too much to overcome as the visitors closed out the 58-39 win.

Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers return to the court Saturday afternoon, hosting the University of Maine–Farmington for a 3:00 p.m. North Atlantic Conference matchup in the Iorio Gymnasium.