NEW PALTZ, NY—Third-seeded New Paltz (18-8) used a 23-3 run late in the first half to pull away and never looked back in a 79-58 victory over visiting Buffalo State (12-14) tonight in the SUNYAC Quarterfinals. 
 
Senior Ashley Wallace (Lockport/Starpoint) led Buffalo State with 12 points and added seven rebounds and four assists in her final game as a Bengal. Fellow senior Olivia Luciani (E. Syracuse/E. Syracuse-Minoa) added 11 points, six boards and five assists, while Niasha Houpe (Rochester/William Floyd) tallied a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. 
 
Senior Hillary Kollar (Johnstown/Johnstown) hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring for her only bucket of the game. The Bengals continued to lead at 9-6, but New Paltz scored the next nine points to take a lead it would never relinquish.  After the big run late in the half, the Hawks went to the locker room with a 43-22 advantage.
 
Buffalo State closed the margin to 14 at 62-48 with nine minutes remaining, but could not get any closer. 
 
The Bengals struggled to break the New Paltz press, committing 30 turnovers, which the Hawks converted into 34 points.   
 
New Paltz will advance to the semifinals against No. 2 Cortland on Friday at top-seeded Geneseo.