ELMIRA, NY – Hartwick earned a double-digit lead midway through the first half and never led by any less in a 67-48 victory over Elmira College (14-5, 6-3 E8) at Speidel Gymnasium Friday night in an Empire 8 Conference game. The Hawks improve to 17-4 overall and 10-1 in the Empire 8 Conference and maintain their one-win edge on Ithaca for the top spot in the league standings.
            Sophomore Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow) recorded yet another double-double with 14 points and a game and career-high 17 rebounds for the Hawks. Senior Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central) led Hartwick in scoring with 16 points. She added eight rebounds.
            After an even opening eight minutes, Hartwick took control with a 10-0 run to put it up by 13 points four minutes later. Three-point baskets from Kait Veit (Easthampton, MA/Holyoke Catholic) and Foglia and consecutive buckets from Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) would hand the Hawks the early edge.
            Later, a three from Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Acad.) and a layup from Dumas gave 'Wick a 17-point margin, 32-17, with under four minutes left in the half. Six of the last eight points of the half gave the host Soaring Eagles a 36-23 deficit at the break.
            Hartwick would shoot 50% in the opening half while limiting Elmira to just 34.5% from the floor. Dumas and Foglia would combine for 14 of the Hawks' 22 points.
            After an early second-half Elmira basket in the second half, the Hawks would net the next eight points capped by a Foglia three to increase the margin to 20 points, 45-25, at 15:51.
            Seventeen points would be the closest the Soaring Eagles would get over the next eight minutes of action. A jumper from Maria Thannhauser closed the gap to 14 at 5:24, 56-42, but it would be as close as Elmira would get.
            Dumas hit a layup and Veit converted an old-fashioned three-point play and the Hawks were back up by 19 with under four minutes remaining on the clock and 'Wick never led by less than 15 points the rest of the night in the victory.
            The Hawks would shoot 44.4% (28-for-63) on the evening. They also dominated on the glass, 45-27 and pulled down 16 offensive boards.
            'Wick limited the Soaring Eagles to 36.4% shooting (20-of-55) in the contest.
            Purcell dished out a game-high five assists for the Hawks while Foglia knocked down a trio of three-pointers. Lee Arduini (Albany, NY/Academy of the Holy Names) added eight points and Veit and Vonasek each scored six points.
            Jessica Zoltowski led Elmira with 15 points. Thannhauser contributed 10.
            Hartwick continues Empire 8 play tomorrow at Alfred. The Hawks and Saxons tip-off at 4 p.m.