FT. LAUDERDALE, FL – The University of Mary Washington (8-3) outscored Hartwick by a 24-12 margin over the final eight minutes and change in a 56-50 setback for the Hawks on Wednesday afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The game, which was played at Nova Southeastern University's Don Taft Center, marked the final one for the Hawks at the Cruzin Classic and of the opening semester. They fall to 7-3 overall.
            Hartwick used a 9-0 run in the second half to take its biggest lead of the game, 38-32. The Eagles, however, came right back with six quick points which was part of a 12-0 run to go up for good.
            "We played a very tough game today," said Hartwick head coach Missy West following the game. "Our players played excellent defense and really kept Mary Washington off the glass. Overall I'm really proud of our effort and excited about where we will head from here."
            Junior guard Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy) led Hartwick with 14 points and eight rebounds. Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central) contributed 13 points. The duo also accounted for all six of the Hawks' three-pointers on the day.
            The game was a defensive battle of two teams which made the 2012 NCAA Tournament. The Hawks qualified for the first time in 13 years last season while the Eagles won their first 30 games before falling in the national quarterfinals.
            The Eagles led for all but 42 seconds of the first half of play yet the Hawks stayed on their heels throughout. UMW held no more than a four-point edge for much of the opening 20 minutes.
            A three-pointer from Purcell gave Hartwick its only lead of the half, 8-6, after just over seven minutes elapsed. Sam Partonen, who ended the game with a game-high 24 points, answered back with a three at the other end to put the Eagles in front. It would trigger a 7-0 run for Mary Washington as it opened up a 16-8 advantage.
            Hartwick fought back with two consecutive buckets from freshman Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow HS) and free throws from Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith), Purcell, and Foglia to tie the score back up at 16. The Eagles would then tally six of the final 11 points for a 22-21 lead at the break.
            In the second half, Mary Washington's lead grew to as many as five, 30-25, after two Partonen free throws with 14:41 to play. Following she sank a layup three minutes later to make the score 32-29, the Hawks would score the next nine points for a 38-32 edge.
            Purcell scored the Hawks' first five points in the run with a jumper and a three-pointer and Vonasek and Dumas sank consecutive shots before the Eagles were forced to call a timeout. Following the timeout, the Hawks got a defensive stop but missed an opportunity to extend the lead on the free-throw line.
            Instead, Amanda Witmer dropped in two straight baskets in the Eagles' big 12-point run as they took a 44-38 lead with 5:17 to play. Before a Foglia layup ended the Hawks' drought with 3:34 left, 'Wick had missed four straight shots from the floor, three front ends of one and one situations from the line, and turned the ball over twice in the span of a minute.
            With UMW leading by just four points with two minutes remaining, Partonen knocked down a jumper to make the Eagles' advantage six. Following a turnover, she drilled a big three-pointer with 44 seconds to go for an insurmountable lead of nine points, 51-42.
            A pair of treys from Foglia kept the Hawks in it late, but the Eagles went 5-of-6 from the line over the final 29 seconds to secure the win.
            "We left #15 (Partonen) open at critical times which really killed us," added West. "as well as missing the front end of three one and ones from the line. We can't go through stretches where we don't score, especially against a team like this."
            Partonen closed the day 6-of-11 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. She added four assists for the Eagles. Aby Diop registered 11 points and a game-high nine rebounds and Erin Drumheller added nine points.
           Purcell and Dumas tied for a game-high with four steals each for Hartwick. Foglia dished out four assists with Lee Arduini (Albany, NY/Academy of the Holy Names) adding three. Arduini also contributed seven points. 
           The Hawks shot 35.4% (17-for-48) from the field in the game. UMW shot 45.2% (19-for-42) and it out-rebounded the Hawks by a slight 33-30 margin.
           "It's been a wonderful trip and great to see our team together and enjoying each other," remarked West. "We will get better as a team from this whole experience."
            The Hawks are off for the next 16 days. They open up Empire 8 Conference play on January 4 at Nazareth College.