ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick's women's lacrosse team was defeated by Utica on Wednesday by a final score of 12-8 at Charles Gaetano Stadium in Utica. The Hawks fall to 7-5 overall and 3-3 in the Empire 8. The Pioneers improve to 8-5 and 4-2.
           
Ashley Werner (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) tied for a game-high with four goals. Hailey Pooler (Adams Center, NY/South Jefferson) scored a goal and set up three others. Jennifer Darasz (Gorham, ME/Gorham) and Emma Knapp (Canandaigua, NY/Marcus Whitman) each recorded a goal and an assist. Hanna Layton (Binghamton, NY/Chenango Forks) also tallied.
           
The two teams traded goals to start the game before Utica scored four straight times to open up a 5-1 lead. The Hawks got two back but the Pioneers scored four of the last five goals of the first half to take a 9-4 advantage into the break.
           
Werner opened the second half scoring at the 23:33 mark. It took nine minutes for Utica to score to make it 10-5. A Darasz free-position goal trimmed the gap to four but UC answered 40 seconds later. Werner's fourth goal of the day made it 11-7 with 9:28 left. Utica tallied at the 4:52 mark with Knapp closing out the scoring 48 ticks later.
           
Utica had a 37-21 advantage in shots for the game. The Pioneers also won the ground ball (24-21) and draw control (14-8) battles.
           
Emma Kaplan (Danbury, CT/Danbury) tied for a game-high with four ground balls. Carleigh Tarala (Tully, NY/Tully) and Katie Weaver (Baldwinsville, NY/C.W. Baker) each had three. Weaver also caused a team-high four turnovers.
           
Tarala stopped five shots in the opening 18 and a half minutes. Ashley Jablonowski (Levittown, NY/Island Trees) made five saves over the final 41:32.
           
Utica received four goals and three assists from Stephanie Husnay. Brooke Miller and Kaitlynn Palmer each added two goals and an assist.
           
The Hawks next play on Tuesday, April 24 at Elmira College beginning at 4 p.m.