FREDONIA, N.Y.—Senior forward Jakia Howard (Syracuse, N.Y./Nottingham) scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the SUNY Potsdam women's basketball team (4-7, 3-4 SUNYAC) earned a critical 62-55 victory at Fredonia (3-11, 0-9) on Friday night. Sophomore guard Carley Hill (Essex, Vt./Rice Memorial) matched a personal-best nine points and senior guard Dyamon Hunter (Bronx, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) added eight points.
 
After splitting the first eight points of the contest, Potsdam finished the opening quarter on a 14-5 run for an 18-9 advantage after 10 minutes. Hill helped the Bears get off to a fast start with two 3-pointers. Howard also scored six points.
 
The momentum went completely in the opposite direction in the second quarter. A 14-4 Blue Devils run gave the hosts a 23-22 advantage with 5:24 left in the half. The lead went back and forth the rest of the period. A 3-pointer from Fredonia's Sarah Seaman with 26 seconds left, sent the teams into the locker room even at 29-29. Howard scored eight of the Bears' 11 points in the second quarter.
 
 The entire second half was a dog fight. A Renee Park three and a Seaman Layup gave the Blue Devils a 36-31 lead at 7:27. Senior forward Mandy Barnell (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) answered with six straight points to put Potsdam back up 37-36 at 6:01. Neither team led by more than two for the rest of the third quarter. A Hunter free throw gave the Bears a 42-41 lead at 1:20, but Seaman countered with a layup and Fredonia led 43-42 after 30 minutes. Howard added four points to her total.
 
Seaman scored from long range to give the Blue Devils their biggest lead of the fourth quarter at 48-44. Potsdam regained the lead with an 8-0 stretch. Howard hit two free throws, sophomore forward Jenna Cotter (Johnson City, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) scored on a 3-point play and Hill sank a three to make it 52-48 with 6:06 to play. Back-to-back threes from Mary Culeton and Park gave Fredonia its final lead of 54-52 at 5:30. Two buckets from Howard and one from Hunter gave Potsdam a 58-54 edge. From there Potsdam put the contest away from the free-throw line and closed out the 62-55 win.
 
Park led the Blue Devils with 18 points and four boards and Seaman finished with 13 points.
 
The Bears shot 39.7 percent from the floor and held Fredonia to just 29.5. Potsdam also controlled the glass with a 46-34 rebounding advantage.
 
The Bears head to Buffalo State tomorrow afternoon for a 2 p.m. matchup with the Bengals.