The New Paltz Women’s Basketball team fell to Mount Saint Mary in their season-opener Tuesday, Nov. 15. They lost a three-point halftime lead to their rival, losing the game 47-62.
Undeterred, the Hawks are looking forward to their 2011-2012 season. They have come a long way in the last year and hope that their tight bond can help them succeed.
“We have become so close as a team/family and this is what will really help us bring our season to the next level and become successful,” said fourth-year Captain Caitlin Irwin.
The girls plan to work hard to reach their goals of securing the SUNYAC first seed to host the SUNYAC tournament. They want to win and hope to bring home a national championship.
“We have a strong core of leadership with our six seniors, and they really want to be held accountable to that higher standard, and that makes coaching them much, much easier,” said Head Coach Jamie Seward.
Fourth-year Captain Kaitlin Clifford explained that their last game against Mount Saint Mary was an “ugly loss.” She said the team was bitter and that they intended on sending the Knights a message. They shortened the point gap having lost last year’s game 45-72.
“Our team this year is like no other team we’ve had. We all have one goal the same goal in mind and everyday we work hard toward that goal,” said Clifford. “We’re going to do big things this year.”
The Lady Hawks were fortunate enough to take a trip to Costa Rica in the offseason. They had the opportunity to take on some of the best teams the country has to offer and came back with a successful 4-1 record. Their only loss was to the Costa Rican national team.
“While the sole purpose of our trip was to play basketball and get ready for the upcoming season, it ended up being much more than that,” said fourth-year Zoe Cohen in her blog. “It was a trip filled with basketball, but also a trip of exciting, new adventures and a learning experience for us all.”
With international play under their belt, the Lady Hawks got back to work at New Paltz. They have high expectations for the season and plan to hold each other accountable for their work ethic.
“I plan to play every day like it is my last and I am sure my teammates will do the same,” Irwin said.
Their next games will be a part of the Chuck Resler Tournament where they will face the University of Rochester and either Baruch or Wittenberg, in Rochester, N.Y. on Nov. 18 and 19. Their first home game will be against Stevens University of Technology on Nov. 29.