HOUGHTON, NY – Down five with under two minutes left, the Hartwick women's basketball team staged a late comeback to steal an absolute must-win from host Houghton on Friday night, grabbing a 59-58 win on Kelly Pine's (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) lay-up with 3.3 seconds left. The victory enables the Hawks to stay a game behind fourth-place Nazareth for the final Empire 8 playoff spot with a 7-5 conference record (13-10 overall), while the Highlanders fall to 3-8 in-conference and 5-17 overall.
Houghton jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, as the the Cybart sisters each hit a three within the first ninety seconds. The Hawks closed the lead to 6-5 in under a minute, however, via a Maggie Kirby (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem) lay-up and Giuliana Pritchard (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) three. The score stayed within one possession for the rest of the quarter, as Houghton led 14-12 after one.
A higher-scoring second stanza ended up with the same result, as the Highlanders outscored the Hawks by two to take a four-point lead into the break. Alex Steele and Brooke Lewandowski combined for a seven-point lead within the first minute of the second, which was maintained through the midway point of the quarter. 'Wick steadily narrowed the gap, all the way to zero on a Pine jumper inside two minutes, but a one-point Houghton lead was lengthened to four on a Caitlyn Cybart buzzer-beater for a 33-29 lead entering the half.
The third quarter brought more of the same. Hartwick narrowed their deficit, but the hosts ended up winning the quarter (by just one point this time). Hannah Cybart lengthened the lead to seven with a three to begin the quarter, but a Pritchard lay-up found the Hawks in front, 39-38, with 5:36 on the clock. Houghton quickly jumped back out in front, however, and led by as much as seven before settling for a 46-41 lead headed into the fourth.
The start of the final quarter looked promising for Hartwick. Pritchard layed one in to make it a one-possession, and Maggie Kirby followed the next time up the floor with her own lay-up to make it a one-point game. Things went a bit haywire from there, though, and the Hawks found themselves down 56-47 with 4:36 to go.
Mary Schoenherr (Unionville, CT/Farmington) started the comeback with a long banked two, and Pine put in a bucket to make it a five-point game next time down the floor. Schoenherr was at it again with 3:2o on the clock, banking in another shot (this one a lay-up) for a one possession game at 56-53. Hannah Cybart grabbed an offensive board off a missed Cori Beck three with under two minutes to go and put back a bucket to send the Hawks to a 58-53 advantage with 1:54 on the clock.
A missed Pine trey sent a bleak outlook, but Molly Kirby (Selkirk, NY/Bethlehem) picked off an errant pass and ended up with a lay-up to keep hope alive. A Houghton turnover led to a Pine lay-up to make it a 58-57 game, and then another Molly Kirby steal gave Hartwick the chance to take the lead. Kirby went in for a bucket and could not convert, but Pine nabbed the rebound and put in a basket, getting fouled in the process for the 59-58 lead with 3.3 seconds left.
She missed the ensuing free throw, and Houghton's Emie Taylor grabbed it and the hosts called timeout. It did not work out for them, however, as Caitlyn Cybart threw the ball away on the inbounds pass. An interesting Schoenherr travel gave the Highlanders another chance at a winning bucket, but Schoenherr redeemed herself by grabbing the inbounds pass and running out the clock for the victory.
Pritchard scored a career-high 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, registering a double-double as well with 11 rebounds. Maggie Kirby has the second-highest total on the Hawks with 11 points to go with five rebounds and three assists, and Pine ended up at 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals. Schoenherr registered eight points, four rebounds, four assists, and a steal.
Hannah Cybart led Houghton with 16 points on 6-of-12 from the field, while Taylor contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Steele had nine points for herself, Caitlyn Cybart ended up with eight points and nine boards, Beck six points, six rebounds, and five assists, and Lewandowski six points, eight rebounds, and three steals.
Hartwick had the advantage from the field, at 39.7% to 30.9%, although Houghton maintained a 33.3% to 23.1% lead from three. The Highlanders also won the rebounding battle, 48-40, with the difference coming entirely in a 16-8 lead on the offensive glass. This led to a 12-6 difference in second chance points, in favor of the home team. 'Wick turned the ball over just nine times compared to Houghton's, although the Hawks had just a 14-12 lead in points off of turnovers to show for it.
Hartwick sees another must-win tomorrow afternoon, when they play at Alfred at 4 p.m.
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