Hawks Take Down Randolph-Macon 61-57 in Puerto Rico

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            SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – Senior center Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) registered game-highs of 25 points and four steals while contributing a team-high 11 rebounds as Hartwick's women's basketball team defeated Randolph-Macon College 61-57 on Saturday morning at the Puerto Rico Clasico in San Juan.
            The Hawks, who were playing for the first time in 18 days, out-scored the Yellow Jackets 15-7 in the second quarter and led by as many as 13 points in the win.
            Hartwick improves to 2-5 overall with the result. The Yellowjackets fall to 5-4.
            Vonasek shot 7-for-18 from the floor and 11-of-15 from the free-throw line in the contest. Jacqui Foreman (Tolland, CT/Tolland) was also in double figures with 10 points. She added five rebounds.
            In the opening quarter, RMC led by as many as four points on two occasions. The second time put the Yellowjackets up 10-6 with 2:46 left. Consecutive baskets from Christina Graziadei (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany), Caitlin Corbett (Altamont, NY/Guilderland), and Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial) in the final 52 seconds would put Hartwick up at the end of the first quarter, 12-10.
            After an early RMC basket in the second tied the score, the Hawks would go on a huge 15-2 run to take command. The Hawks would go 4-for-5 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the foul line in the spurt with Vonasek netting 10 for a 27-14 lead with 3:56 to play before halftime. A Yellowjacket three would be all that either team could muster the rest of the half and 'Wick led 27-17 heading into the locker room.
            Hartwick maintained a sizeable lead in the third quarter with the Yellowjackets only able to get as close as six points. They got the final basket with 2:09 left and they trailed 40-34 heading into the final quarter.
            An 11-4 RMC run to start the fourth period trimmed the margin to a single point, 46-45, less than two minutes in. Six of the next eight points went Hartwick's way with four coming from the free-throw line from Vonasek to build the 'Wick advantage back up to six.

            A 6-2 Randolph-Macon run made it a 54-52 game with 1:15 remaining. The Yellowjackets had a chance to get it to one but missed a free throw. Stone answered with four straight free throws to give the Hawks a 58-52 edge with under a minute left.
            A RMC three cut it to 58-55, but Stone canned another pair from the line. A Vonasek free throw pushed it to five, 61-55, before the Yellowjackets inched closer with two free throws with 11 seconds left. But it would mark the game's final points in the Hartwick victory.
            Both teams shot around 35% from the floor in the game. Hartwick out-scored Randolph-Macon 28-18 in the paint. The Hawks edged the Yellowjackets on the glass, 42-40.
            Stone ended the game with nine points, four rebounds, and three steals for the Hawks. Carly Johnson (Greenville, NY/Greenville Central) added seven points and Corbett and Graziadei each contributed four.
            RMC was paced by Hannah Livermon's 16 points. Katie Andersen added a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards. Khajae Hester scored 11 points.
            Hartwick next plays on Monday against nationally #12 Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Hawks and Warhawks tip-off at noon in San Juan.