ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Kelly Pine (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) and Carly Johnson (Greenville, NY/Greenville Central) led the way for the Hartwick women's basketball team on Thursday afternoon, combining for half of the team's points in a 22-point blowout win over Olivet College. With the win, the Hawks finish the St. Pete Classic at a perfect 2-0 and move to 7-2 on the year, while the Comets fall below .500 to 5-6.
The first quarter played out evenly. After Hartwick grabbed an early 8-3 lead thanks in part to a pair of lay-ups from Caitlin Corbett (Altamont, NY/Guilderland), Olivet struck right back and went on a 7-0 run to grab a 10-8 advantage, eventually leading 15-13 at the end of the period. The Hawks outdid the Comets to begin the second quarter, scoring the first nine points and taking a 22-15 lead. Mary Schoenherr (Unionville, CT/Farmington) had a couple of baskets during the run, complemented by a Pine lay-up and a Johnson three-ball. Those were Johnson's first three points of the game, but by half's end she had a lot more, scoring nine more points by the time the buzzer sounded. Olivet was mostly able to keep pace, however, and 'Wick led by nine after two, 37-28.
The Hawks took a stranglehold on the game in the third quarter. After the Comets scored the first four points, Hartwick scored on each of their next four possessions. They matched their earlier 9-0 run and took a 46-32 lead when Johnson hit a three-pointer with 6:32 to go in the third. Olivet's Fayth Talbert laid the ball in to stop the unanswered run, but Johnson and Pine went right back to work; Johnson responded with a lay-up of her own, followed nine seconds later by a Pine three and about a minute after that a two-point basket. After the 16-2 run, Hartwick was up by 19 points, 53-34. The rest of the quarter was relatively uneventful, and the Hawks led 58-41 headed into the final period.
'Wick kept the game on lock in the fourth. A Maggie Kirby (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem) lay-up made the lead 20 just over two minutes in to the quarter, and Coach Katie Marcella emptied the bench with 6:31 remaining. The Hawks were later able to stretch the lead to 25 on the strength of a trio of lay-ups from Kirby, Kelsey Collins (Forestburgh, NY/Eldred Central), and Rhiannon Groll (Red Bank, NJ/Boonton), but a last second three-pointer from the Comets' Leijla Masinovic made the final margin 22 points.
Pine was very efficient on the afternoon, shooting 7-of-10 from the field (2-of-5 from three) for 17 points. She also added in five rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Johnson led the Hawks in scoring, with 20 points on 5o% (8-of-16) shooting, including three of the team's season-high eight three-pointers. She also had two assists, two steals, and zero turnovers. Kirby was the only other 'Wick player to reach double-digit points, scoring ten and grabbing six rebounds, four of them offensive. Schoenherr had a nice day as well, leading all comers with eight rebounds and tying Corbett for the game high with four assists.
Hartwick handily outshot Olivet, 46.0% to 29.7% overall and 40.0% to 19.4% from deep. The board battle was more evenly-matched, as the Hawks had just a 44-42 advantage, and Olivet had a 16-12 offensive rebound lead, which turned into a 9-6 edge in second chance points. Each team was able to keep the turnovers to a minimum, with Hartwick turning it over just ten times and Olivet 15. Hartwick had a significant upper hand in points off of turnovers, however, 17-6.
Grace Clark led the Comets with 12 points and three assists, also gathering four rebounds. Beth Chick was right behind with eight points, and tied Talbert for the team lead with seven rebounds.
The Hawks' season pauses now for the Christmas break, as they rest and recharge in preparation for Empire 8 conference play. Hartwick plays at Nazareth College on Friday, January 4 at 5:30 p.m.
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