ALBANY, NY – It was not quite a must-win, but it was as close as you can get for an early February game. The Hartwick women's basketball team came away with an important road win at Sage on Saturday evening, downing the Gators, 68-60. The win pushes the Hawks to 11-9 overall and 5-4 in the Empire 8, keeping them just one game out of the final playoff spot. Sage, in second place entering the day, falls to 10-10 overall and is one of three 6-3 teams in the E8.
After the two teams traded baskets to start the game, the Hawks went on an 8-0 run to jump out to a 10-2 lead. Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) started it with a lay-up, and then assisted on a Kelly Pine (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) three next time down the floor. Mary Schoenherr (Unionville, CT/Farmington) followed with a lay-up next, and Molly Kirby (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem) went one-of-two from the line to round out the run. The low-scoring quarter ended up with some Sage momentum, however, as they scored eight of the last ten points to cut their deficit to just two at 12-10 after one.
'Wick re-earned a seven-point lead under a minute into the second via an Isley Sterling (Wilton, NY/Saratoga Springs) lay-up and Schoenherr trey, and their advantage fluctuated between three and seven for the first six-plus minutes of the period. A Gessica Patregnani jumper made the score 26-22 with 4:01 to go, and she assisted on Sammy Pasinella's three that cut the Hartwick lead to one under a minute later. Meghan Murray's two free throws gave Sage their first lead of the night at 1:38, although the Hawks quickly took it back via Sterling. At the half, the teams were tied at 30-all.
The difference between Sage and Hartwick was even closer in the third than the two-point difference in each of the first two quarters, as the Hawks outscored the Gators 14-13. The game was a one-possession contest for all but a few seconds, as Sage briefly led by five with under three to go. 'Wick scored the final six points of the quarter, however, capped by the Kirby sisters connecting for a last second jumper (bucket to Maggie, assist to Molly). Hartwick led by the slimmest of margins entering the fourth, 44-43.
Sage had taken a 57-56 lead by the time the first minute of the fourth was up, but from there Hartwick seized control of the game. Molly Kirby's jumper with 8:42 to go took the lead back, and she and Schoenherr each had four more points throughout a 10-0 run that saw the Hawks end up with a 59-47 lead with 6:01 to go. Sage did their best to get back to even, coming as close as four points with 36 seconds remaining following Pasinella's three-point play, but 'Wick made enough of their free throws to hold off the hosts.
Eight different Hawks scored on Saturday, led by Molly Kirby and Schoenherr with 16 apiece. Schoenherr also had a game-high five assists, three rebounds, and three steals, while Kirby added in three assists and a steal. Maggie Kirby was the only other Hawk in double digits at 12 points on 6-of-10 from the field, and also had nine rebounds, an assist, and a block. Pine had more steals herself than all of Sage combined, with a career-high five to go with eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and a block.
Pasinella led all players at 19 points, although on an inefficient 5-of-17 shooting. She also had four rebounds and four blocks. Megan Flynn registered a double-double, with 15 points on 4-of-6 from the field and 7-of-8 from the line and 11 rebounds (as well as three blocks). Patregnani picked up 13 points, five rebounds, an assist, and a steal, and Kyra Oeffler and Kaitlyn Bowman each made the bulk of their respective contributions on the boards, with eight and seven rebounds each.
Hartwick had the better shooting night overall, at 40.3% to 34.6%. Each team struggled from deep, as the Hawks shot just 15.8% and Sage 13.3% from three. The Gators were on point from the free throw line, however, making 22-of-25 (88.0%) to 'Wick's 11-of-16 (68.8%).
The hosts won the rebounding battle, at 45-34, although had just a 14-13 lead on the offensive glass and scored just six second-chance points to Hartwick's nine. The Hawks also took much better care of the ball than Sage, with 12 turnovers to the Gators' 21, and had a symmetrical 21-12 lead in points off of turnovers. They also dominated the paint, with a 34-16 lead in that category.
Next weekend brings an important home back-t0-back for the Hawks, against two teams in playoff spots in St. John Fisher and Nazareth. Hartwick gets the action started on Friday, February 7 at 7:30 p.m. vs. first-place Fisher.
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