SPRINGFIELD, MA – A 9-0 Suffolk run turned a two-point deficit into a seven-point lead late in the contest, ultimately handing the Hartwick women's basketball team a 56-52 setback in the championship game of the Western New England University Golden Bears Hoop Classic on Sunday in Springfield, MA. The Hawks trailed by six with 64 seconds left to play but continued to claw their way back as they pulled as close as two with 11 ticks remaining. The Rams, however, hit their free throws late to secure the win and the tournament title.
            Hartwick slips to 1-2 on the year with the loss. Suffolk improves to 3-0.
            "It was a back and forth game," said Hartwick head coach Missy West. "It was close throughout and we played very hard. Suffolk is a very good team and we stayed right with them."
            Sophomore Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central HS), who was selected to the all-tournament team after the contest, scored a team-high 15 points. She also dished out a game- and career-high seven assists. Foglia was joined on the all-tournament team by classmate Tracey Koch (Glenmont, NY/Bethlehem Central). Koch had six points, a team-best six rebounds, and two steals against the Rams today.
            The Hawks trailed by five points or less for the opening nine minutes of the second half before an 8-0 run with 10:54 remaining put 'Wick in front for the first time since it led 4-2 with two and a half minutes elapsed the contest. Foglia had three baskets in the Hartwick run.
            Two buckets from the Rams put them in front, 41-40, before Hawk sophomore Kait Veit (Easthampton, MA/Holyoke Catholic) nailed a three-pointer for a 43-41 Hartwick advantage. It would mark Hartwick's last lead as Suffolk rattled off the next nine points. The Hawks would miss their next six shots in the Ram spurt in addition to three free throws before Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy) made one from the line to put the score at 50-44.
            Both teams had chances to add to their totals before Foglia converted two from the free-throw line with 1:22 remaining. Jacqueline Vienneau, who scored the Rams final six points in the last 1:04, drained a pair from the charity stripe to up Suffolk's lead to six, 52-46. Purcell countered with a three-pointer for Hartwick to cut the deficit in half, 52-49, and 'Wick called timeout with 53 seconds left.
             Vienneau converted a layup for the Rams on their next possession, but Foglia connected on a trey and Hartwick trailed by just two, 54-52, with 12 seconds to go. The Hawks were forced to foul again and Vienneau closed it out, sinking two from the line to make it a two-possession game.

            Veit finished the game for Hartwick with nine points, all on three-pointers. Josefine Vincents (Vallensbak, Denmark/Kent School) contributed eight points for the Hawks.
            Hartwick converted on 19-of-54 (35.2%) shots in the game, which included 7-of-17 (41.2%) from beyond the three-point arc. The Rams shot 43.4% (23-of-53) as a team. They also held the edge in rebounds, 37-31, and out-scored the Hawks 30-11 in the paint.
            "It really just came down to not executing on offense down the stretch," remarked West. "We went five or six possessions late in the game where we didn't come away with points and we've got to do better. We're young and going to learn a lot from this game. It's going to prepare us down the road."
            Tournament Most Valuable Player, Mary Garon, scored 11 points to pace Suffolk. She also grabbed a game-high seven rebounds. Jennifer Ruys led the way offensively with 16 points. She was also an all-tournament pick.
            Hartwick next plays on Tuesday, November 22 at Union College with tip-off set for 6 p.m. in Schenectady, NY.