NEW YORK --- (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) SUNY Old Westbury women's basketball were unable to recover from an early deficit en route to a 77-52 non-conference loss to the Western Connecticut State University Colonials (2-3) Saturday afternoon in the consolation game of the Hunter College Tip-Off Tournament inside Hunter College Sportsplex in Manhattan. The 0-2 record to start the season is Old Westbury's first dating back to the 2013-14 campaign.
 
Western Connecticut State opened the game with a 7-2 run capped by Gabrielle Hurlbert 2:25 in. Ashley Cattle and Phalan Smith combined to score Old Westbury's next six points from 5:56 to 4:22 to pull within one, 9-8.  A triple by Hurlbert at 3:10 ignited a 12-2 run to close out the first period and give the Colonials the double-digit lead, 21-10.  Western Connecticut State opened the second stanza with a three-pointer by Sydney Gouveia that sparked an 11-3 run to push the lead to 19 points, 32-13.  Smith knocked down a jumper that kickstarted an 11-4 Old Westbury run to slice the deficit to 12 and send the 36-24 game into intermission. 
 
Davida Warren drained a jumper to pull Old Westbury within 10 (42-32) with 4:48 left in the third quarter.  Western Connecticut State outscored Old Westbury 16-11 over the final 4:35 of the third to hold the 58-43 lead.  The Colonials opened the fourth-quarter scoring with 12-unanswered points to extend its lead to a game-high 27 points with 6:25 remaining.  The Panthers used a final 7-1 surge headlined by La'Niya Clark's three points to trail by 21 (73-52) before Susana Almeida netted back-to-back jumpers to settle the 77-52 final.
 
Cattle totaled a career-best 16 points (8-of-14 FG) to go with three steals to pace Old Westbury.  Smith followed with a personal-best 10 points (5-of-9 FG) while Clark nabbed a team-best five steals.  Warren pulled down a season-best 18 rebounds and swatted away a game-high three blocks.  Ja'nya Flash chipped in with 11 rebounds while Micah Browne dished out a game-best six assists.
 
Hulbert finished with a game-high 19 points in leading Western Connecticut State. Almeida contributed 13 points (5-of-9 FG) and four steals while Genesis Torres poured in 10 points (4-of-7 FG, 2-of-4 3FG) and nabbed a game-high seven steals.
 
In the end, Old Westbury shot 39.3 percent (24-of-61) from the field, 15.4 percent (2-of-13) from three-point range and 20.0percent (2-of-10) from the free-throw line.  By comparison, Western Connecticut State hit on 37.2 percent (29-of-78) from the floor, 28.2 percent (11-of-39) from beyond the arc and 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from the charity stripe.  Old Westbury won the boards battle, 51-43, while Western Connecticut State scored 18 second-chance points off 16 offensive rebounds.  Both teams registered 19 assists as the Panthers outplayed the Colonials in blocks (5-2), points in the paint (36-26) and fastbreak points (18-4).  Western Connecticut State held the edge in steals (26-13) and bench points (24-12) while scoring 36 points of 37 Panther turnovers.
 
UP NEXT:
Old Westbury remains on the road Tuesday (Nov. 19) for a non-conference showdown against John Jay College Bloodhounds (1-2) at 6 p.m. inside The Doghouse in Manhattan. 

For the latest news on the Panthers, log on to www.oldwestburypanthers.com – the official site of Old Westbury athletics. Also, become a follower of the Panthers on Instagram (OW_Panthers) and Twitter (@OW_Panthers), and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (Old Westbury Panthers Athletics & Recreation / Old Westbury Athletics Alumni).