ONEONTA, NY – Sophomore Courtney Cirillo (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown) led a trio of Hawks in double figures on Friday night as the Hartwick women's basketball team opened up Empire 8 Conference play with a 62-43 win over Houghton. The Hawks improve to 2-7 overall with the win while the Highlanders fall to 3-6.
            Cirillo scored 14 points for the Hawks. Alicia Razanousky (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) added 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting to go along with eight rebounds. Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby) notched 11 points and five boards for the Hawks.
             The first half was relatively balanced with the two teams exchanging leads seven different times. The Hawks held a slim 20-18 edge with 7:10 left in the first half, but a big 14-2 run to close it handed 'Wick a 34-20 advantage entering the break. Cirillo scored six in the run with Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) adding four.
            The Highlanders got as close as 11 points on two occasions early in the second half, but Hartwick maintained at least a 14-point margin over the final 11 minutes. The Hawks' lead would swell to 21 points following a Jess Bellai (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) layup with 3:49 left en route to the victory.
            Vonasek ended the contest with seven points and a team-high nine rebounds for 'Wick. Jacqui Foreman (Tolland, CT/Tolland) contributed six points, six boards, and a game-high five assists.
            Sophomore Christina Graziadei (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) scored four points, grabbed five rebounds, and blocked a game-high five shots. Freshman Kelsey Brown (Barrington, NH/Tilton School) added six points and four rebounds.
            Maisie Pipher led all players with 16 points and 11 rebounds for Houghton. Hannah Manwaring was also in double figures with 13 points.
            The Hawks made 41.7% (25-of-60) from the field and made 6-of-11 (54.5%) from three-point range in the game. They held the Highlanders to 34.6% (18-for-52) shooting. Hartwick dominated the glass, 47-31, and scored 20 second-chance points.
            The Hawks return to Lambros tomorrow for a 3 p.m. game against Alfred.