Box Score

NEW YORK, NY – Hartwick's women's basketball came up a few points short following a big second-half comeback in a 64-59 loss to New Paltz in the second game of the New York University Tournament on Friday night. The Hawks trailed by 11 points with just over eight minutes to play in the game but battled back to cut the lead to two points twice in the final five and a half minutes.
           
Junior guard Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy) sank two free throws with 3:09 left to make it a two-point game, 56-54. Following a New Paltz basket, the Hawks had four looks at the basket over the next 1:20 but couldn't convert. Three points was as close as 'Wick could get the rest of the way.
           
Purcell finished with a game-high 20 points. Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central) added 17 points and tied for a team-high with eight rebounds. The pair also combined for 6-of-10 shooting from behind the three-point arc.
           
Freshman Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow HS) netted six to go along with eight rebounds. Classmate Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith HS) contributed six points and four boards.
           
Six different New Paltz players scored at least seven points on the night. Alex McCullough scored 14 points, grabbed a game-high 11 boards, and recorded four blocks, and three steals.
           
The New Paltz defense accumulated 15 steals on the night and forced Hartwick into 26 turnovers. 'Wick had the edge in rebounds, 41-36, and connected on 17-of-20 free throws (85%).
           
The first half was tight as neither team led by more than a four-point margin until the final minute. Hartwick held four-point leads on four occasions after the midway point of the half but each time New Paltz would convert on the other end to keep the game close.
           
Following a Goldie Harrison bucket which made the score 28-28 with 3:35 left, four straight Vonasek points gave 'Wick a 32-28 edge. With 44 seconds to go, Dumas made a layup handing 'Wick its largest lead of the game, 34-28, before a Michelle Valle basket made it 34-30 Hartwick at intermission.
           
A critical four and half minute cold spell for Hartwick to begin the second half would hand New Paltz a 45-34 lead. 'Wick had four missed shots and five turnovers in the span.
             
New Paltz maintained its big advantage for the next seven minutes and held a 54-43 edge with 8:40 remaining. Purcell hit two free throws to start the rally and freshman Alicia Razanousky (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane HS) nailed a jumper to cut the deficit to seven. After a defensive stop, Purcell made a three-pointer and 'Wick was within four, 54-50, with 6:43 on the clock. Later, Katrina Caulfield's (Palmer, MA/Palmer) layup made it a two-point game.
           
With New Paltz holding a 58-54 edge with 2:49 left, Hartwick had three chances to make it a one-possession game with no success. Two more possessions resulted in 'Wick turnovers and Scott would make a layup for New Paltz with under a minute left to extend the lead, 60-54.
           
Purcell drained a three-pointer on the Hawks' next touch of the ball and then came up with a steal. Another costly turnover, however, handed the ball back to New Paltz and Alyssa Gratien sank two from the free-throw line after the Hawks had to foul with 16 ticks left for a 62-57 lead.
           
After a layup from Purcell, McCullough connected on 1-of-2 from the line with nine seconds left to push the advantage back to four and put the game away.
             
Hartwick will be back in action in the consolation game against St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn tomorrow at 6 p.m. The Bears dropped a 68-53 decision to the host Violets in the early game tonight.