Waterville, ME: The SUNY Cobleskill women's basketball team came up short in a gritty defensive battle on Friday night, falling 50-39 to Thomas College in a North Atlantic Conference matchup.

Jaiyla Colon (Worcester, MA) led the Tigers with 12 points and three rebounds. Hannah Bonczkowski (Gilbertsville, NY) provided a spark off the bench with seven points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Kyra Pence (Randolph, NY) added five points, four rebounds, and two steals, while Sydney Delisle (Mechanicville, NY) filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds, four points, three assists, and a steal. Kyara Triblet (Colonie, NY) was active inside with four points, seven rebounds, and two blocks.

In a true defensive showdown, Cobleskill held Thomas to 36.5 percent shooting from the floor and limited the Terriers to just 16.7 percent from three-point range. The Tigers finished the game at 29.3 percent shooting. Cobleskill controlled the glass with a 42-32 rebounding advantage, including an 18-8 edge on the offensive boards, but Thomas capitalized on second chances and free throws, holding a 10-3 advantage in second-chance points while going 9-of-10 from the line. The Tigers forced 16 turnovers and collected six steals, turning those miscues into 12 points.

Cobleskill opened the game with early energy as Pence knocked down a three-pointer off a Delisle assist, and Kayleigh Bryant (Schenevus, NY) followed with a layup to give the Tigers a quick 5-0 lead. Thomas responded to tie the game at 7-7 before Bonczkowski drilled a three-pointer, again set up by Delisle, to put Cobleskill back in front, 10-7. However, the Terriers seized momentum late in the quarter, closing on a 13-0 run to take a 20-10 lead after one.

The defensive intensity carried into the second quarter as both teams battled for quality looks. Thomas pushed the lead to 24-12 before Mady Victorin (Menands, NY) scored in the paint to stop the run. Bonczkowski added a layup late in the half, but the Terriers controlled the final minutes and carried a 30-17 advantage into the break.

Cobleskill came out of halftime with renewed energy as Colon scored back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit to 30-21 within the first minute of the third. The Tigers continued to chip away, using transition opportunities and second-chance looks to close the gap. Delisle finished in transition to make it 32-25 with two minutes left in the quarter, and Zaylee Ramos (Worcester, MA) added a turnaround jumper in the paint. Colon capped the late push with a bucket in the final seconds, trimming the deficit to 36-29 heading into the fourth.

Colon kept the Tigers within striking distance early in the final period, scoring the first basket to make it 36-31. An offensive rebound by Colon led to a Triblet layup, cutting the score to 40-33 with 5:35 remaining. Pence knocked down a clutch jumper to keep Cobleskill close at 44-35, and Colon converted two late layups to make it 47-39 with under two minutes to play. Cobleskill had multiple defensive stops down the stretch, but Thomas sealed the game at the free-throw line to secure the 50-39 win.

Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers wrap up the regular season on Saturday afternoon with a 3:00 p.m. road matchup at Lesley University. Cobleskill has already clinched a spot in the North Atlantic Conference Championship Tournament.