MARCY, N.Y. – The SUNYIT Women's Basketball Team (5-4, 3-0 NEAC) kicked off the new year with a home win on Saturday, defeating the Pioneers of Alfred State 67-62. The Wildcats held off the visitors down the stretch for a hard-fought 5-point victory.

Despite leading by as many as 9 in the second half, with just over 2 minutes to play the Pioneers tied things up on a three-point play by Marcedes Caver.

The Wildcats wasted no time in answering, however, as Tierney McGlynn (Watervliet, N.Y. / Watervliet) made a nice dish on the ensuing SUNYIT possession to Lauren Knowles (Salisbury Mills, N.Y. / Washingtonville), who converted the layup to put SUNYIT back on top.

From there the Wildcats would net six consecutive free throws to salt the game away.

Among those hitting free throws was Abbey Hanehan (Stillwater, N.Y. / Stillwater), who finished with a team-high 20 points on 6-of-10 from the floor and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. Hanehan also pulled down 8 boards, but the lead in that category belonged to Deasia Goodson (Freeport, N.Y. / Freeport). The 6-1 sophomore grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds in just 18 minutes of play, adding 9 points and a block as well.

On the other side of the ball it was Caver who nearly carried her team to victory. Finishing with 29 points on 12-of-24 from the field, the junior guard also led her team in both rebounds (9) and blocks (2). Caver was particularly on fire in the first half, finishing the period with 17 of her team's 29 points.

After trailing for much of the first period, SUNYIT ended the half up 30-29 after a layup by McGlynn just beat the buzzer. McGlynn started the play with a steal off an errant Pioneer pass, and the momentum seemed to carry over as the Wildcats began the second half on a 6-0 run.

SUNYIT was benefited by a solid performance from Nijah Townsend (Bronx, N.Y. / Truman) off the bench. The junior-transfer recorded 10 points and 8 rebounds in her 16 minutes of play, and even contributed an assist on a nifty shovel pass in the lane to Goodson in the first half.

The Wildcats will return to the Campus Center Gym for another home game tomorrow, as SUNYIT hosts the Kangaroos of SUNY Canton. Game time is slated for noon.