ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick juniors Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy), Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central), and freshman Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow HS) combined for 50 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists, and five steals on Friday night as Hartwick's women's basketball team improved to 10-3 overall and 3-0 in the Empire 8 with a 65-52 victory over visiting St. John Fisher (5-9, 2-3 E8).
            "I thought we played excellent defense and did a great job on the glass tonight," said Hartwick head coach Missy West after the win. "It was a collective effort by our entire team. Our players have been working so hard in practice and they were all part of a big win tonight."
            Foglia and Dumas each scored 18 points to lead the Hawks. Foglia made 6-of-10 from the field and all six of her free throws. Dumas made eight of her 10 shots to go along with five boards. Purcell netted 14 points and had eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Carlee Hirt (Beacon, NY/John Jay-East Fishkill) scored six for 'Wick.
            "Kate did a great job on the glass and does so many of the vital things that help in our success," added West. "Maria hit some big free throws enabling us to pull away and Brittney continues to get better every game and hit big shots. It was great to see Carlee back and doing a good job on the boards."
            The lead changed hands six times with four ties in a very even first half between the two clubs. The Hawks led by just two points, 25-23, with 2:27 left in the half after a Fisher bucket from Camryn Buckner. 'Wick, however, would close the half on a 9-2 run for a 34-25 edge at the break. Dumas scored seven points with Hirt adding a basket for the Blue and White in the span.
            Dumas (11) and Foglia (10) would combine for 21 points in the first 20 minutes. Purcell had four points, four assists, and a pair of steals.
            The Cardinals closed the gap to five early in the second stanza after scoring six of the first eight points. Baskets from Dumas and Foglia put 'Wick back up by nine.
            The Hawks made their move with just under seven minutes to go in the game. Leading by eight, 46-38, a Kait Veit (Easthampton, MA/Holyoke Catholic) layup made it a double-digit advantage and triggered a 9-2 spurt over the next 1:41 to extend the Hawks' lead to 15 points, 55-40. Purcell scored five points with Veit adding four in the run.
            Hartwick led by as many as 17 points twice in the final two and a half minutes in the victory, which is the team's third straight over St. John Fisher.
            Hirt would close the game with six points for the Hawks. She added four rebounds. Veit ended the night with five points.
           The Hawks shot 50% (23-for-46) as a team in the win while holding the Cardinals to just 37.7% (20-for-53). 'Wick also won the rebounding battle by a final count of 36-27. Hartwick, which shot 87% or better from the free-throw line in both games last weekend, struggled from the stripe tonight making a season-low 61% (17-for-28).
            Fisher was paced on the night by Buckner who led all scorers with 19 points. She added a game-high nine rebounds. Brooke Seavitt contributed 16 points for the Cardinals.
            The Hawks return to Lambros tomorrow afternoon against Alfred. The Hawks and Saxons tip off at 2 p.m.