ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick's women's basketball team dropped a 62-55 decision to visiting Ithaca on Saturday at Lambros Arena. The Hawks trailed by just five at the break and hung around for a large part of the second half before the Bombers opened up a double-digit lead with eight minutes left.
           
The Hawks are now 4-11 overall and 2-4 in league play. The Bombers up their record to 11-3 overall and 5-0 in the Empire 8.
           
Jacqui Foreman (Tolland, CT/Tolland) and Kelsey Brown (Barrington, NH/Tilton School) each were in double figures for the Hawks. Foreman scored a team-high 13 points and she added five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Brown scored 10 points and contributed five boards.
           
Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) added nine points and tied for a game-high with seven rebounds. Sarah Shaw (Franklin, MA/Franklin) chipped in with eight points and five rebounds. Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby) also had eight points.
           
Ithaca took control early as it used an 8-0 run to move in front of the Hawks, 14-5, with just under six minutes elapsed in the game. The Hawks answered with a 9-0 run of their own with Foreman scoring four in the run to draw even at 14-14.
           
The Bombers got their advantage back to six on Ali Ricchiuti's fourth three-pointer of the half with under six minutes left. But back-to-back Shaw three's cut it to two, 28-26, two minutes later. The Bombers tallied five of the half's final seven points to head into the locker room up five, 33-28.
           
Four quick Bomber points in the second half made it a nine-point lead. The Hawks kept their deficit under ten for the next 11 minutes until two Keri Steele free throws made it an 11-point game, 50-39.
           
Four minutes later, a Samantha Klie layup gave the visitors their largest lead of the day of 16 points, 60-44. Foreman scored four of the Hawks' final seven points in the final minute and a half and Shannon Curley's (S. Glens Falls, NY/S. Glens Falls) trey made the final margin seven.
           
The Hawks shot 36.4% (20-for-55) from the field with the Bombers shooting slightly better at 36.8% (21-for-57). Both teams connected on seven three's and the Bombers held a slim edge on the glass, 39-36.
           
Ricchiuti was the only Ithaca player in double figures with a game-high 18 points. All of her points came in the first half of play.
           
Hartwick returns to Lambros on Tuesday night. The Hawks host Utica at 6 p.m.