Some clutch free-throw shooting and a team effort enabled the Fredonia women's basketball team to slip past the Cortland Red Dragons, 75-71, on Saturday. The Devils improved to 5-1 overall and are off to a 2-0 start in conference play.
Sabrina Macaulay (Newark) finished with a game-high 22 points on eight-of-11 shooting. Alexis Cheatham (Lockport) added 12 points and four assists. The duo also combined to go nine of 10 from the line, while the team was 19 of 22 for the game.
The well-balanced effort was aided by Jenna Einink (Mayville/Chautauqua Lake) with six points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots and Khee Nance (Dunkirk) with 10 points.
Cortland (3-3, 1-1 SUNYAC) had five players score in double digits, led by 15 from Danielle Levine. They shot a nifty 14 of 19 from the line.
With Cortland up late, 61-60, Macaulay nailed a pair of free throws to put the Devils up by one. Macaulay then scored on a fast break basket following a blocked shot.
Nance and Einink provided the next four points on free throws for Fredonia, which sandwiched a Cortland field goal and free throw for a 68-64 Fredonia lead.
Cortland scored its next four points on some timely shooting of their own from the free-throw line to tie the game at 68-all.
Following a layup by Macaulay, she and Cheatham essentially iced the game by making all four of their free throw attempts and give the Devils a two possession lead 74-68 lead with 18 seconds to go.
A three pointer by Cortland made it a three-point game with just six seconds remaining. Cheatham made one of two free throws to close the game to account for the final score.
Fredonia's biggest lead of 12 points came in the first half. With the Blue Devils up 26-23, Einink began the rally with a layup, followed by three pointers on three-straight possessions by Cheatham. Sweazy completed the rally, nailing a long two to complete an 11-2 run, leaving the Blue Devils with a 37-25 lead with just over two minutes left in the half.
They took a 39-30 lead into the break.
Both teams finished with 35 rebounds and 14 turnovers. Cortland had eight steals to Fredonia's seven, while the Devils shot 44 percent from the floor to the Dragons 42 percent.
Fredonia held the edge in three pointers, eight to five, and a decided advantage in assists, 19-8.
The Devils travel to St. John Fisher next Friday.
