ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick led by as many as 22 points in the first half and won by a comfortable 74-52 margin over visiting Houghton College in Empire 8 women's basketball action on Friday night at Lambros Arena. The Hawks shot 55% as a team and forced 13 Highlander turnovers in the first half en route to the victory.
            Hartwick junior guard Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy) decimated the all-time Hartwick three-point record in the first half. She entered the game needing two threes to set the benchmark. After an early triple, she set the record with a shot from the corner with 5:55 left in the opening half giving 'Wick a 29-16 edge in the process.
            Purcell now has 118 three-pointers in only her 67^th career game. She passes former record holder Laura Shockro (2001-2005), who made 117 threes in 104 games played.
            "Kate is one of the hardest workers I've seen," said Hartwick head coach Missy West. "She not only is a great player and deserves this record but she's a great teammate and leader on this team. We are lucky to have her and it's an honor to coach her every day. She is one of a kind." 
            With the victory, Hartwick improves to 12-3 overall. The Hawks also up their unbeaten streak to five games. Houghton falls to 8-6 overall. 'Wick received the added bonus of taking over sole possession of first place in the Empire 8 Conference as St. John Fisher upset Ithaca 63-59 this evening.
            Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central) led three Hawks in double figures with 20 points. Purcell finished with 10 points and Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow HS) added 18 points for the Hawks.
            Hartwick led from start to finish on the night as Purcell's record-tying three-pointer and a basket from Dumas gave the hosts a 5-0 advantage three minutes into the contest. A three from Houghton's Kaitlin Hammersley made it a four-point game, 11-7, at the 13:50 mark but the Hawks quickly built their lead back up to double digits with six straight points.
            Purcell's second three with under six minutes left not only gave her the record but it also ignited the Hawks as they closed the half on a 20-8 run. 'Wick would shoot 6-for 9 from the field in the span while forcing the Highlanders into four turnovers and a 2-of-10 shooting performance.
            At the break, the Hawks led 46-24 while shooting 17-of-31 (54.8%). They would turn Houghton's 13 turnovers into 17 points in the half. Dumas (14) and Foglia (11) would combine for 25 points over the opening 20 minutes.
            In the second half, two straight buckets from Foglia pushed the Hartwick lead to 25 points, 54-29, with less than four minutes elapsed. Houghton would get no closer than 20 points the rest of the night.
            A 5-0 run for the visitors with under nine minutes left trimmed the Highlander deficit to 63-43. Seven straight points over a 2:25 span, however, would give 'Wick its biggest lead of the night with 3:09 left. A Foglia basket followed by a Marie Davison (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs) three-point play and a Carlee Hirt (Beacon, NY/John Jay-East Fishkill) layup put 'Wick up 72-45. The Highlanders finished on a 7-2 run for the final 74-52 score line.
            Purcell contributed a season-high nine assists, a career-high six steals, and she tied for a team-high seven rebounds on her record-setting night. Foglia added seven boards and shot 8-of-11 from the floor, and Dumas made seven of her 10 shots and she grabbed four rebounds.
            Junior guard Lee Arduini (Albany, NY/Academy of the Holy Names) would contribute seven points for the Hawks. Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) scored six points and notched three rebounds. Hirt finished with four and four.
            The Hawks ended the night with a 45.9% (28-for-61) shooting performance. They also made 15-of-19 (79%) from the free-throw line and edged the Highlanders on the glass, 38-34.
            Houghton shot just 37.3% (19-for-51) as a team. Maisie Pipher led her team with 11 points. She also had a game-high nine rebounds. Kaitlyn Gaffney and Hammersley each finished with 10 points. Reigning Empire 8 Player of the Week Kristen Moose was held to just seven points.
            "I thought we played very well defensively holding #11 (Moose) to just seven points and five rebounds," added West. "Everyone did their part and stepped up and we got important stops when we needed them."
            Hartwick is back in action tomorrow evening at Lambros. The Hawks host Nazareth College at 5 p.m. 'Wick defeated the Golden Flyers 62-44 in Rochester two weeks ago.