ELMIRA, NY – Hartwick shot just under 60% from the floor and held Elmira to less than 29% shooting in a 62-44 Empire 8 victory for the Hawks Friday night at Speidel Gymnasium. The win is the Hawks' eighth straight and they improve their overall mark this season to 15-3. 'Wick also stays flawless in league play with a 7-0 record.
            Hartwick made 22-of-37 shots for the game. The 59.5% showing was a season-high for the Hawks. 'Wick spread the wealth offensively as only two players were in double figures and 13 Hawks had at least a point.
            The Hawks started strong defensively once again as they limited the Soaring Eagles to just four baskets and 17.4% (4-for-23) shooting in the first half. EC would close the game making only 28.3% (15-of-53).
            Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) scored 14 points to lead all scorers. Kait Veit (Easthampton, MA/Holyoke Catholic) contributed 10 for Hartwick.
            'Wick led from start to finish on the night with Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central) and Dumas netting the Hawks' opening five points inside of a minute. The two teams exchanged baskets for the next six minutes with a layup from Tempestt Black bringing EC to within six points, 15-9, with 13:01 left in the half.
            The Hawks were all over the Soaring Eagles for the rest of the half. The Blue and White would blank the Purple and Gold for more than eight minutes as they opened up a 25-9 advantage. The 'Wick defense forced eight missed field-goal attempts and four turnovers in the span.
            Alex Balara's bucket finally got Elmira into double figures with 4:54 to play, but the Hawks notched six of the final eight points for a commanding 31-13 lead at the intermission. Dumas scored nine points in the first 20 minutes and Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT / E.O. Smith) tallied nine. Foglia and Lee Arduini (Albany, NY/Academy of the Holy Names) each had five.
            After an early EC basket, the Hawks began to pull away. A pair of free throws from Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mount Mercy Academy) put 'Wick in front by 21 points, 40-19, with 15:25 left and it led by at least 20 points for the next 12 minutes.
            Veit converted all 10 of her points in a four-minute span with a pair of three-pointers and four free throws making the score 54-28 with just over five minutes to go in the contest. A short time later, Alicia Razanousky (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) sank a layup to give the Hawks their biggest advantage of the contest, 56-29.
            EC crept closer with 11 of the next 13 points to make it an 18-point game with roughly three minutes left, but it was too late for the hosts as 'Wick would make four of its next five free throws to close out the victory.
            Razanousky would finish with four points along with Katrina Caulfield (Palmer, MA/Palmer) and Marie Davison (Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs).
            Hartwick plays tomorrow at Ithaca in a showdown of the league's top two teams. The Bombers, who were 92-55 winners over Stevens tonight, are 15-2 overall and 7-1 in the Empire 8. The two teams split their regular season series last year and met in the Empire 8 Championship with the Hawks falling five points short, 43-38. Tip-off is 2 p.m. at Ben Light Gymnasium.