ONEONTA, NY – The Alfred University women's basketball team traveled to Hartwick College on Friday evening to face off against the top team in the Empire 8. The Saxons (6-11, 2-6 Empire 8) fell to the Hawks by a score of 73-52.
It was all Hartwick early on as the Hawks jumped out to a 16-2 lead over the Saxons in the first quarter.
Jumpers from Chanice Battle (Brooklyn, NY/Midwood) and Jamie Wilcox (Forestville, NY/Pine Valley) got the AU offense rolling and made it 20-10 with under a minute to play in the first. A late Hartwick layup made it 22-10 after the one.
The Saxons tidied things up on both ends in the second quarter. Early points in the paint from Samantha Pierre-Louis (Wheatley Heights, NY/Half Hallow Hills West) and Allison O'Toole (Simi Valley, CA/Simi Valley) cut the Hartwick advantage to just 8 making the score 22-14 with 9:32 remaining in the half.
Alfred was able to hold the high-powered Hartwick offense in check during much of the second quarter, allowing just 18 points, and went into the half down 40-24.
"We got beat via the pass in the first half, which meant we didn't communicate enough and/or get to the ball side," Head Coach Mike Moskowitz said. "Second half we were better in that aspect, but their athleticism and quickness with the ball was tough to contain."
The third quarter saw the Hawks extend their lead up to as many as 22. O'Toole hit a jumper with two seconds left in the period making the 59-39 after three.
AU held tough in the final quarter, giving up just 14 points to the Hawks while scoring 13 of its own. At the end of the day Hartwick was too much for the Saxons and improved to 10-1 in Empire 8 play.
"While we didn't defensive rebound at all, we were still in it and cut the lead to 13 with around 7:30 left," Moskowitz said. "Too many details were unaccounted for early, and against a good team, the hole was too big to climb out of today."
Battle recorded a season high 17 points to lead the Saxon scoring. Wilcox scored 8 and grabbed nine boards. Lyndsey McCoy (Middleburgh, NY/Middleburgh Central) also scored 8 points.
Alfred will look to turn things around tomorrow at Elmira with that game set to tip off at 2PM.