HOUGHTON, NY – Hartwick women's soccer got all the scoring it would need in the opening 16 minutes as the Hawks earned another dominating performance in Empire 8 play Saturday with a 2-0 win at Houghton. With the victory and a Nazareth win over Stevens today, the Hawks move into a first-place tie atop the league standings with the Ducks at 3-1.
           
Hartwick improves to 8-4 on the year and recorded its seventh shutout in today's match. Houghton falls to 3-6-1 and 1-2-1.
           
Madison Miller (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) opened the scoring for the Hawks 1:36 into the contest after they earned the game's first corner. Sierra Bentley (Worcester, NY/Schenevus) served up the corner which Miller headed in for her second tally of the year. It marked the sixth assist of the season for Bentley, who is the program's all-time leader with 29. She also ranks tenth on the career points list with 51 in her four seasons.
           
Rachel Pine (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls) added to the Hawks' total at the 15:02 mark. She collected a poor clearance by the Highlanders and dropped her shot in from 25 yards away for her third goal of the season.            
           
Hartwick would limit Houghton to just one shot in each half. The Hawks finished with a 14-2 advantage for the 90 minutes.

Cassandra Robataille (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam) earned her third clean sheet in the last four games for the Hawks in goal. She ended the match with two saves. Houghton's Sadie Dunnett closed the match with eight stops.
           
'Wick has a quick turnaround as it plays at Alfred in another conference game tomorrow at 1 p.m.