SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – Hartwick women's basketball lost a 73-56 decision at Skidmore on Tuesday night, but with a stronger effort than its season opener. The Hawks struggled against Union on Saturday, but played tough against the Thoroughbreds, who are the defending Liberty League champions.
           
Senior forward Taylor Vonasek (Willington, CT/E.O. Smith) had a solid performance with a game-high 21 points. She tied for a team-high seven rebounds, had a game-best three steals, and dished out two assists.
           
Senior forward Christina Graziadei (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany) was also in double figures with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting.
           
Skidmore would grab a 5-0 lead in the early proceedings before two baskets from Vonasek and a layup from junior Emily Stone (Granby, CT/Granby Memorial ) closed the gap to three, midway through the first quarter. The Thoroughbreds would connect on a trio of three-pointers to open up a 16-point margin before the Hawks trimmed the margin to 25-10 at the end of one period.
           
Hartwick got to within 12 points, 28-16, with just over two minutes gone in the second quarter on junior Jacqui Foreman's (Tolland, CT/Tolland) basket. The Thoroughbreds ended the half on an 11-5 run for a 39-21 lead at halftime.
             
The Hawks matched Skidmore in the third quarter, 20-20. Graziadei led the Hawks in the period with seven points with Vonasek and freshman Caitlin Corbett (Altamont, NY/Guilderland) each adding five. An 8-0 Hartwick run cut the deficit to 10 points, 41-31, with 4:35 left in the third, but Skidmore closed the quarter with 18 of the final 28 points for a 59-41 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. The Hawks would shoot 5-for-7 in the period. They also hit nine free throws.
           
Skidmore maintained at least an 18-point lead until a Vonasek layup and three-pointer and an Alicia Razanousky (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) trey made it a 13-point game, 69-56, with 2:35 left. The Hawks, however, would miss their next four shots with a chance to inch closer and Skidmore scored the final four points in the last 1:04 of action.
           
Vonasek finished the night shooting 8-of-17 from the field. Corbett made three of her seven shots to end the contest with seven points.
           
Kelly Donnelly led four players in double figures for the hosts with 19 points. Kayla Mitchell, Veronica Moceri, and Amber Holgate each scored 10. Mitchell (2-for-2) and Moceri (3-of-4) combined for five Skidmore three-pointers.
           
The Hawks play on Friday night in the Holiday Inn Classic at SUNY Oneonta. 'Wick faces King's College at 6 p.m. at Dewar Arena.