POTSDAM, N.Y.--- The SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (2-3) fell to Hamilton College (2-0) 68-62 on Tuesday night. After battling for three quarters to regain the lead, a 3-pointer from freshman guard  Elizabeth Arnold (Westford, Mass./Westford Academy) proved to be the dagger. Freshman guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) recorded a career-high 19 points in 27 minutes of action for the Bears. Senior forward Halie Serbent (Killingworth, Conn/Haddam-Killingworth) led the Continentals with a game-high 21 points, 14 rebounds and three steals.
 
The two teams traded baskets in the first quarter, exchanging runs and leads. The Bears started off their 7-0 run which was concluded with an and-one basket by freshman forward Devyn Elliot (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) to make it 11-8 at 5:56. A 3-pointer from the right corner by Hamilton junior guard Marie Steiner (Pully, Switzerland/Culver Academies) helped Hamilton start a run of their own. The Continentals offensive rebounding and interior defense slowed down the Bears for the remainder of the quarter. In the closing moments of the first quarter, Arnold got a steal and dribbled the length of the court and did a euro-step to score on her defender to cap off a 10-2 run. The Continentals led 18-13 after 10 minutes.
 
Early in the second quarter, Hamilton led by as many as nine with their free-throw shooting. The Bears got back in the game by attacking the paint, which resulted in free throw opportunities of their own. A layup from Hunter brought the Bears within just two at 28-26, but senior forward Mia Caterisano (Penfield, N.Y./Our Lady of Mercy) held Potsdam off with two layups of her own. The two teams went into the break with the Continentals up 32-30.
 
The teams exchanged points out of the half by attacking the basket. Potsdam brought itself within one after Hunter split through the Hamilton defense for a layup to make it 37-36. Hamilton however, responded to the Bears run with back-to-back layups from Steiner and junior guard Kelcie Zarie (Wellesley Hills, Mass./Wellesley). Hamilton's aggressiveness allowed them to continue to get to the free throw line in the third quarter, which slowed down Potsdam's momentum. A 3-pointer off the glass from Hunter cut the lead to four at 49-45, but the Continentals free-throw shooting and rebounding allowed them to go into the fourth with a 51-45 advantage.
 
Sophomore guard Mia Jackson (Bronx, N.Y./Mott Hall V) opened up the scoring in the fourth with a head fake and floater from the free-throw line. Then the two teams once again traded baskets. After battling for the entire quarter to get over the hump, the Bears found some momentum. With 3:06 left in the quarter, Elliot was rewarded with a basket and the foul and converted on her three-point opportunity to bring the Bears within two at 61-59. After a Continental timeout and miss from inside, the Bears had the opportunity to tie the game or take their first lead since the first quarter. However, a layup from Hunter spun around the rim and came out. The Continentals came back on the other end and Arnold hit the 3-pointer to put the visitors back up five with 1:55 left. The shot proved to seal the game as the Bears couldn't make another run, falling 68-62.
 
Elliot finished with 15 points and four rebounds for the Bears, while sophomore forward Nicole Hansen (Fulton, N.Y./G. Ray Bodley) chipped in with six points and eight rebounds off the bench.
 
Potsdam shot 33.9 percent from the floor, while Hamilton shot 32.4 percent.
 
The Bears are back in action for a men's-women's doubleheader against Clarkson a week from today at the Jerry Welsh Gymnasium at 6 p.m.