CORTLAND, N.Y.--The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (2-18, 1-14 SUNYAC) was defeated by SUNY Cortland (10-11, 9-5) 81-49 on Saturday night. Senior captain Patti Dorgler (Floral Park, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) led the way for the Bears with 12 points, four rebounds and four assists.
 
Dorgler started the game strong scoring the first five points for the Bears to jump out to an early 5-2 lead. This was met by a Red Dragon 9-0 run, which Dorgler ended with a jumper to cut the deficit to four with 2:21 remaining in the quarter. After a pair of free throws late in the quarter, senior captain Meghan Driscoll (Troy, N.Y./Troy) pulled the Bears within five with a 3-pointer. Cortland led 19-11 at the end of the quarter.
 
The Red Dragons pulled away in the second quarter. Sophomore forward Victoria Shopovich (White Plains, N.Y./Maria Regina) had four points in the period and freshman guard Drew Dufrane (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) sank a 3-pointer. Cortland took a 44-19 advantage into the half.
 
Sophomore guard Abbey Smith (Bainbridge, N.Y./Bainbridge-Guilford) came out firing for the Bears in the third quarter with a 3-pointer and a jumper off a steal. Midway through the quarter Driscoll hit a three and added two from the free throw line to break up a Red Dragons run. The Bears trailed 71-36 after 30 minutes.
 
Potsdam outscored the Red Dragons 13-10 in the fourth quarter. Smith again opened the scoring for the Bears with another three. The bucket started a 7-3 Bears run capped by a 3-pointer from senior guard Sydney Thompson (Akwesasne, N.Y./Massena) with 7:14 remaining. Thompson added five more points late in the quarter to finish with a career-high eight points.
 
Driscoll finished with eight points and senior guard Abbey LaPage (North Bangor, N.Y./Franklin Academy) added six. Cassidy Chapko led the Dragons with 21 points and Stephanie Rice contributed 14. Alyssa Crosby contributed a double-double on 12 points and 11 boards.
 
The Bears return to action next Friday to face off against the Plattsburgh State Cardinals at 7:30 p.m. in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium.