ONEONTA, NY – Ten different players contributed points for the Hartwick women's basketball team on Tuesday night, as the Hawks closed out the first half on a 13-0 run en route to a 65-51 victory over the visiting SUNY Cortland Red Dragons. Hartwick is now 2-0 on the young season, while Cortland drops to 0-1 after their season opener.
            The game was tied at nine through the first seven-plus minutes, but the Hawks were able to take a four-point lead after one. They stretched their lead to six points 2:44 into the second quarter, but Cortland was able to close to within one with 4:35 left until the break. Then, 'Wick went to work. Molly Kirby (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem) hit a three-pointer and a lay-up on consecutive possessions, followed by Kelly Pine (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) going 3-of-4 from the free throw line on the next two trips down the court to make the lead nine. Kirby later added two free throws of her own, and was followed up by a Caitlin Corbett (Altamont, NY/Guilderland) three with 39 seconds left. Hartwick led 34-20 at the half.
            The Red Dragons closed their deficit to seven points twice in the third period, including with just thirty-three seconds to go, but a Maggie Kirby (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem) three-pointer increased the lead back to double-digits going into the fourth. 'Wick was able to stifle the Cortland offense in the final quarter, giving up just nine points. The Hawks enlarged their lead to 54-42 with 7:45 remaining, and the distance between the two teams never dipped below that margin for the rest of the night.
            Corbett led Hartwick with 16 points, including two threes, also adding in seven rebounds and tying for team-highs in assists (4) and steals (2). Pine just missed a double-double, racking up nine points and nine boards, as well as two blocks. Molly Kirby also had nine points, and contributed four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks, with zero turnovers. Carly Johnson (Greenville, NY/Greenville Central) and Mary Schoenherr (Unionville CT/Farmington) each had seven points, with Johnson grabbing seven rebounds and Schoenherr tying with Corbett for the team lead with two steals.
            The Hawks outshot the Red Dragons in all facets of the game. Hartwick shot 39.3% from the field compared to Cortland's 25%, 29.4% from three against 19.4% and 66.7% to 55.0% from the charity stripe. 'Wick also won the rebound battle, 50-42, although Cortland had 19 offensive rebounds to Hartwick's 15, leading to a 10-6 edge in second-chance points. The Red Dragons also won the turnover battle, 18-15, but were not able to convert into points as often as the Hawks, who led 14-10 in points off turnovers.
            Justine Crespo starred for Cortland, leading them with game-highs in points (18, on 7-of-9 shooting), steals (3), and blocks (3). She also had five rebounds and an assist. Shannon McGuire also had double-digit points, with 13, and added in three rebounds as well. Shana Crespo and Kristy Vitucci led the Red Dragons in rebounds, with seven, while Vitucci also tied for a game-high in assists, with four.
            Hartwick plays again this upcoming weekend, as they go on the road for the first time this season for the Tyler Tip-Off, hosted by Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. The Hawks play Salve Regina on Saturday, November 17 at 4 p.m., and will take on either Smith or Norwich the next day, time to be determined.