MADISON, NJ – Hartwick's women's basketball team fought back from a 12-point deficit with less than four minutes left to play, but the host Drew University Rangers outscored the Hawks 7-2 over the final 49 seconds to score a 59-52 victory on Tuesday night in the season opener for both teams.
            Hartwick trailed 50-38 with 3:25 left, but sophomores Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy) and Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central HS) combined for all 12 of 'Wick's points in a 12-2 run to cut the deficit to two, 52-50, with 49 seconds remaining. The Rangers would convert 7-of-8 from the free throw line in the final minute to put the game out of reach.
            Purcell led Hartwick with 16 points and Foglia added 10. Freshman Josefine Vincents (Vallensbak, Denmark/Kent School) contributed nine points in her first game in a Hartwick uniform. Katrina Caulfield (Palmer, MA/Palmer HS) contributed eight points.
            Drew's Danielle Barber registered game-highs of 20 points and four three-pointers. Whitney Mackay added 17 points. Barber, Mackay, and Jen Mateo tied for a game-high with eight rebounds.
            Hartwick struggled in the opening half of play. The Rangers stifled the Hawks defensively, allowing them to connect on only four field goals and 14% of their shots from the floor in the first 20 minutes of action.
            The Hawks scored six points in the first 15 minutes, trailing by a 17-6 margin. 'Wick would out-score Drew 11-9 over the final five minutes of the half to pull to within nine points, 26-17, at halftime.
            A Caulfield layup made it a five-point game, 29-24 with two and a half minutes elapsed in the second half, but the Rangers would build their lead back up and the Hawks would get no closer until the closing stages of the game.
            The Rangers twice led by 10 points before the midway point of the half, and they went up by 12 twice in the final 10 minutes. Two Victoria Ault free throws put the hosts up 50-38 with 4:52 remaining.
            The Hawks would turn up the defensive pressure, forcing seven drew turnovers over the next few minutes to help get back in the contest.
            Foglia converted two free throws and followed with a bucket to shave the Ranger to lead to eight, 50-42. Later, Purcell made a layup and came up with a steal on the next Ranger possession. She hit a driving layup, was fouled, and sank her free throw and the Hawks were down by five, 52-47, with just over a minute to go.
            After turnovers by both teams, Purcell knocked down a three-pointer for 'Wick and the Rangers advantage was whittled to two, 52-50.
            'Wick was forced to foul and the Rangers sank two to extend their advantage to four. The Hawks were unable to convert on their next two possessions but two Vincents' free throws with 11 seconds remaining made it a 57-52 contest. Ault made a pair from the line to make it a three-possession game with less than 10 seconds left to close out the victory for the Rangers.
            Hartwick finished out the night hitting only 24.3% (17-of-70) from the floor. They connected on three of 16 shots (18.8%) from beyond the arc.
            Drew shot 40.4% as a team and hit seven three-point baskets in the contest. The Rangers held a slight 47-41 edge on the glass.
            The Hawks next play this weekend at the Western New England Tournament in Springfield, MA. 'Wick opens with the host Bears on Saturday night at 8 p.m.