ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick's women's basketball team trailed for nearly 26 minutes from early in the second quarter to late in the fourth but battled back with a 17-6 run to close the game in a 68-64 victory over Utica College Thursday night at Lambros Arena.

            Utica led by seven points with six and a half minutes left in the game but an 11-2 Hawks' run over the next three minutes handed the hosts a 61-59 advantage. After the Pioneers tied it, a Carly Johnson (Greenville, NY/Greenville Central) layup with 1:40 left in the contest put the Hawks ahead to stay. With the Hawks up two, both teams had a pair of looks on the offensive end but neither converted.
            Caitlin Corbett (Altamont, NY/Guilderland) made it a three-point game with a shot from the free-throw line with 25 seconds left before UC cut its deficit to one with a pair from the line. Corbett answered with another two from the stripe and the Hawks led 66-63 with 19 ticks left on the clock. On the ensuing in-bounds pass for UC, Kelly Pine (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) got a hand on the pass for the steal and Corbett put the game out of reach with another free throw with 11 seconds remaining.

            Johnson (8) and Corbett (7) would lead the charge in the comeback with both players combing for 15 of the Hawks' 17 points. Corbett ended the night with a game-high 20 points and six rebounds. She also accounted for the only two three-pointers in the game for the Hawks. Johnson recorded 14 points and a team-best eight rebounds.
            Pine closed the game with 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Mary Schoenherr (Unionville, CT/Farmington) added 12 points, five boards, three assists, and three steals. Alexa DuBois (Hobart, NY/South Kortright) scored four and grabbed six rebounds. Kelsey Collins (Forestburgh, NY/Eldred Central) contributed four points and six rebounds off the bench.

            The Hawks would shoot 37% from the floor with the Pioneers making 43% of their shots. The Hawks held the edge in rebounds, 43-39. Their total included 15 offensive rebounds which they converted into 16 second-chance points.

            Utica was led by Briannah Florian, who scored a team-high 13 points and pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. Ashelyn Babb added 12 points and nine assists with Jeslyn Files also scoring 12. Alaina Tripp contributed 10 points and nine boards.

            Hartwick, which has now beaten Utica seven straight times, is back in action on Tuesday, February 13 at The Sage Colleges. Game time is 8 p.m.