CORTLAND, N.Y. – Jackie Funk (Penfield) scored 14 of her career-high 21 points in the fourth quarter as the Cortland women's basketball team held off visiting New Paltz, 61-56, in a matchup of the SUNYAC's top two teams.
 
Cortland (20-3, 15-1 SUNYAC) extended its conference lead on the second-place Hawks (15-9, 14-3 SUNYAC). The Red Dragons can clinch the SUNYAC regular-season title and the top seed in the conference tournament with a win either at Oswego or Canton next weekend, or a New Paltz loss next Saturday in its regular-season finale at Oneonta.
 
The Red Dragons reached the 20-win mark for the fourth time in the last five seasons (2019-20, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2024-25; no season in 2020-21).
 
Funk hit 7-of-11 shots from the floor, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range. Three of her 3-pointers came in the last six minutes to help Cortland hold on. She also finished with five rebounds and two steals.
 
Joleen Lusk (Cherry Valley/Cherry Valley-Springfield) recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. She also had three assists and two blocks. Kaeli McAnally (Islip) scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting (2-of-2 from the arc) and Bella Zingoni (Kings Park/Long Island Lutheran) scored seven points. Kayla Campbell (Franklin/Franklin Central) posted five rebounds and three assists.
 
Abby Korzekwinski scored 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting to lead New Paltz. Sophia Bonnell hit four 3-pointers and finished with 12 points, five rebounds and three assists and Julia Sabatino ended with 10 rebounds and five assists.
 
Cortland did not trail after taking an 8-6 lead with 2:36 left in the first quarter, but the game was close throughout. The Red Dragons held a 12-9 lead after one period and 23-16 at halftime, and they briefly took an 11-point lead with 4:37 remaining in the third before New Paltz answered with seven straight points.
 
Cortland led by nine twice in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter after baskets by Funk, but the Hawks clawed back and eventually got to within two at 50-48 on Korzekwinski's layup with 2:58 left.
 
Funk hit a 3-pointer with 2:31 left and, after one New Paltz free throw, she hit another trey with 1:45 on the clock to put the Red Dragons up by seven. Bonnell's triple cut it to four at the 1:29 mark and the Hawks got the ball back with 36 seconds left but turned it over when Lusk deflected an inbounds pass. Zingoni made two free throws with 34 seconds left to give Cortland a 58-52 lead, but Sabatino's 3-pointer six seconds later brought New Paltz within three.
 
Campbell sank one free throw with 27 seconds left to make it 59-55 and Korzekwinski hit one foul shot with 22 seconds left to again bring the game to a one-possession margin. Zingoni hit a free throw with 19 seconds left and, after New Paltz missed a 3-pointer, Funk made a foul shot with nine seconds left to close the scoring. Funk secured the rebound after missing the second foul shot and Cortland ran out the clock.