HOUGHTON, NY – The Hartwick women's basketball team couldn't overcome its worst shooting performance of the season on Saturday in a 51-42 loss at Houghton College. The Hawks shot season-lows of 26.6% (17-for-64) from the floor and 12% (3-for-25) from three-point range in the game. With the setback, the Hawks fall to 5-14 overall and 3-7 in the Empire 8. The Highlanders are now 4-14 and 1-9.
            In the first half, neither team could find the hoop as they combined for just 13 points over the first 12 minutes of action. A jumper from Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) made it 13-11 Hartwick with 6:46 to go in the first half but it would be the Hawks' final lead. It would also be 'Wick's final points of the half as the Highlanders ended the period on a 13-0 run over the final 5:28. The Hawks would miss their final eight shots to go along with four turnovers in the stretch.
            The Hawks got as close as seven points three times in the first four minutes of the second half. A Kelsey Brown (Barrington, NH/Tilton School) layup made the score 31-23 with 13:32 to play, but a 9-2 run over the next six minutes would increase the deficit to 15 points, 40-25, with 7:22 remaining.
            Eight out of the next nine points for the Hawks got the margin down to eight but they got no closer until under a minute left. Baskets from Alicia Razanousky (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) and Shannon Curley (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) made the score 48-42 with 23 ticks to play but the Highlanders sank their free throws to put the game away.
            Vonasek led Hartwick with 13 points and seven rebounds. Razanousky and Curley each had five points.
            Maisie Pipher registered game-highs of 14 points and 15 rebounds for Houghton. Christel Enriquez added 11 points and nine boards and Hannah Manwaring scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
            Hartwick is off until next Saturday when it visits Stevens Institute of Technology.