UTICA, NY – Visiting Hartwick outscored host Utica 25-15 in the second half to pull out a 44-38 victory in Empire 8 Conference women's basketball Tuesday night at Clark Athletic Center. The win snaps a two-game E8 skid for the Hawks and improves their record to 6-15 overall and 4-8 in league play. The Pioneers fall to 9-13 and 5-8.
            The Hawks held the Pioneers to just 19% (5-for-26) shooting in the second half of play, including a 9% (1-for-11) showing from three-point range. Utica didn't help itself at the free-throw line making only 33% (4-of-12) in the second half and the game (5-for-15).
             Junior Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) and sophomore Jacqui Foreman (Tolland, CT/Tolland) each registered double-doubles and combined for 26 points, 23 rebounds and six assists to pace Hartwick. Vonasek led the way with game-highs of 13 points and 13 rebounds. She added three assists. Foreman scored 10 points, grabbed 12 boards, including six of the offensive variety, and dished out three assists.
            Utica grabbed a 9-2 lead in the early going before Foreman, Courtney Cirillo (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown), and Vonasek got Hartwick back in it with consecutive layups. The Hawks trailed 13-8 with nine minutes left in the half but a layup from Foreman, a jumper from Alicia Razanousky (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane), and a three-pointer from Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby) and 'Wick had its first lead, 15-12, three and a half minutes later.
            Hartwick held the lead for roughly three minutes until a three-pointer from Amanda Henderson put UC on top, 20-19, with 1:50 left. She tacked on another triple with three ticks left for a 23-19 advantage at halftime.
            Following a three-point play 44 seconds into the second half, the Pioneers opened up a seven-point lead, 26-19. Eight straight Hartwick points, with Vonasek scoring four, put the Hawks on top 27-26. UC gained the upper hand again, 31-28, only to have a Christina Graziadei (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) jumper get the Hawks to within one at 12:48. Two and a half minutes later, a Foreman layup gave 'Wick the lead which it held for seven and a half minutes.
            Hartwick led by a margin of five but five straight UC points evened the score at 36-36 with 2:28 remaining. The Hawks, however, would score the next seven points over the next two minutes to jump ahead for good. Vonasek would score six consecutive points, including four free throws in a row with under thirty seconds left to key the victory.
            Cirillo would end the game with seven points for the Hawks. She also had two assists and two steals. Jess Bellai (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) registered a game- and career-high six steals to go along with three rebounds, and two assists. Graziadei added four points and seven rebounds and Stone scored five points.

            Hartwick finished the night shooting 34% (17-for-50). They also held a 44-37 advantage in rebounds. 'Wick struggled at the line hitting only 39% (9-for-23).
            Utica was led by Henderson's 11 points. Bridget Greenwald added seven points and 12 rebounds.
            Hartwick is off until Friday when it travels to Ithaca College for a 6 p.m. game.