ITHACA, NY – Hartwick was as close as three points two minutes into the second half against Ithaca but an 18-6 run for the host Bombers over the next eight minutes proved to be too much to overcome in a 60-50 loss on Friday night at Ben Light Gymnasium.
            The Hawks drop to 6-16 overall and 4-9 in the Empire 8 Conference while the Bombers improve to 18-4 and 12-1 in league play.
            Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby) tied for a game-high with 11 points for Hartwick. Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) added nine and Courtney Cirillo (Johnstown, NY/Johnstown), and Kelsey Brown (Barrington, NH/Tilton School) each scored eight.
            The Bombers raced out to a 10-2 lead after 6:15 and extended their advantage to ten, 16-6, a minute and a half later. The Hawks cut the margin to seven twice near the midway point of the half but a Samantha Klie three-pointer gave IC its biggest lead up to that point, 26-15.
            Layups from Stone and Cirillo narrowed the gap to seven once again with 2:40 left in the half before the Hawks settled on a 28-19 deficit at the break.
            To start the second half, three consecutive Hartwick buckets from Cirillo, Jacqui Foreman (Tolland, CT/Tolland) and Vonasek brought the Hawks to within three, 28-25, with 18:13 remaining in the contest. A Foreman layup at 16:36, however, would be the last field goal the Hawks would get for the next eight and a half minutes. They only managed four free throws in the span until a Stone layup but the Bombers had already opened up a 12-point, 46-32 lead.
            A Brown three and then a Rachel Hunt (Penfield, NY/Webster Schroeder) free throw cut it to a 10-point contest, 48-38, with 6:34 left on the clock only to have Jordan Beers answer with a trey and then a layup for the Bombers for a 15-point advantage.   
            The Hawks wouldn't go quietly as a Vonasek three-pointer trimmed the deficit to eight, 55-47, with 1:39 remaining, but the Bombers would hit their free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
            Hartwick shot 40.4% (19-for-47) in the game with Ithaca shooting slightly better at 40.8% (20-for-49). The Bombers held the edge on the glass, 34-31.
            Foreman led all players with seven rebounds. She also contributed five points, a team-high three assists, and two steals.
            Ali Ricciuti paced Ithaca with 11 points and six rebounds. Alex Gilligan added nine points, and Klie, Beers, Keri Steele, and Geena Brady each scored seven.
            The Hawks play tomorrow at Elmira College's Speidel Gymnasium. Tip-off is 2 p.m.