ONEONTA, NY – Visiting Ithaca took the lead with under 30 seconds left in the first half and held onto it through the second half to top Hartwick women's basketball in a tight contest, 47-41, on Saturday at Lambros Arena. The Hawks pulled to within one point early in the fourth quarter but could not get any closer the rest of the way.
            Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) was the lone Hawk in double digits with a game-high 20 points. She added a team-best six rebounds.
            The Hawks led for virtually the entire first half of play. Two Vonasek free throws made the score 22-16 with 5:29 left in the second quarter. A Vonasek jumper less than two minutes later matched the margin, 24-18. The Bombers would close the half on an 11-2 run and took the lead for good on an Ali Ricchuti three-pointer with 29 seconds to go before halftime, 29-26.
            The two teams struggled shooting the ball in the second half with both making under 24% from the floor. They combined for 12 total points in the third quarter and the Bombers took a 35-32 lead into the final period.
            A Jacqui Foreman (Tolland, CT/Tolland) layup 16 seconds into the fourth cut the Ithaca advantage to one, 35-34, but the Hawks would go without a bucket for the next five minutes. Vonasek's layup with 4:17 left made it 43-41, but the Bombers countered on their next possession to make it a four-point game.
            Hartwick had five possessions with a chance to inch closer but couldn't convert. Ithaca went without a point for four straight minutes until Ricchiuti hit a pair of free throws to push the lead to six, 47-41, which would be the final score line.
            Vonasek would make 6-of-14 from the field and 7-of-11 from the free-throw line to go along with three steals. Foreman added eight points, three boards, and two steals.
            Carly Johnson (Greenville, NY/Greenville Central) contributed six points, three rebounds, and two three-pointers. Caitlin Corbett (Altamont, NY/Guilderland) scored four points, and Alicia Razanousky (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) scored three points and pulled down five rebounds.
            Ricchiuti and Jordan Beers netted 12 points apiece for the Bombers. Julie Yacovoni chipped in with 10 points.
            The loss drops the Hawks record to 6-10 overall and 4-4 in the Empire 8. Ithaca improves to 10-7 and 6-2.
            The game served as Hartwick Senior Day with a pre-game ceremony honoring Vonasek, Razanousky, Jessica Bellai (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont), and Christina Graziadei (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany). The four-year players were a part of one NCAA Tournament Team, and ECAC Championship Team, and they made a pair of Empire 8 Tournament appearances at 'Wick.

            Hartwick hosts Utica College on Wednesday, January 27 at 8 p.m.