ONEONTA, NY – Visiting Utica outscored Hartwick's women's basketball team 17-3 over the final eight minutes of the first half to gain a 12-point halftime advantage and never trailed in the second half in a 53-47 loss for the Hawks.
           Nine different Hartwick players scored in the game, led by Jacqui Foreman's (Tolland, CT/Tolland) 11 points. She also tied for a team-high with five rebounds. Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby) also was in double figures with 10 points. She also had four boards.
            Utica (9-8, 5-3 E8) was paced by Bridget Greenwald who led all players with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Mary Miceli contributed 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
            Hartwick (4-12, 2-5 E8) led by as many as five points in the first half thanks to an 8-0 run. Stone netted five with Kelsey Brown (Barrington, NH/Tilton School) knocking down a three-pointer for a 10-5 lead. The Hawks led 15-13 at one point but the big run for the Pioneers gave them the upper hand.
            'Wick ended the half going 1-for-12 from the field with three turnovers. The Pioneers went 6-of-11 and made all four of their free-throw attempts in the span as they grabbed a 30-18 lead at the half.
            Layups from Foreman twice in the second half cut the Hartwick deficit to five points but the Hawks got no closer. A UC layup, made it a double-digit lead, 46-35, with just over six minutes left. A pair of Miceli free throws grew the Pioneer lead to its biggest of the night, 53-39, with under two minutes left before eight straight 'Wick points to close out the game produced the final six-point score line.
            The Hawks struggled shooting the ball in the first half, making 28%, but managed to shoot 44.8% in the second half to finish the night making 20-of-54 (37.0%) from the floor. The Pioneers, which held a 37-30 edge in rebounding, shot 39.1% (18-for-46).
            Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) added seven points and five rebounds for Hartwick. Courtney Cirillo (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) scored five points, grabbed four rebounds, and blocked three shots. Jess Bellai (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) tied for a game-high with four assists.
            Hartwick hosts its final home game for nearly a month on Friday against Stevens. The Hawks then begin a six-game conference road stand.