ONEONTA, NY – The Hartwick women's basketball team extended their win streak to 4 and climbed back to the top of the Empire 8 standings with their 71-35 victory over the visiting Keuka Wolves this afternoon.  The Hawks improve to 11-4 (6-1) while Keuka falls to 1-13 (0-6).
 
For the second consecutive game, the Hawks defense showed up and gave up the least amount of points to an opponent this season.  Impressively, they held Keuka to 16% from the field, 21% from behind the arc, and forced 25 turnovers.  Offensively for Hartwick, all 13 players saw significant minutes in the contest, and the team finished with a 41% clip from the field and 38% from three.
 
Well-balanced team play was the name of the game for Hartwick this afternoon, with 12 players pulling down rebounds and 11 scoring the rock.  Bree Fargnoli led the way with 11 points, followed by Mikyla Mitchell and Caitie Unger adding 10 apiece.  Sareena DiCerbo and Giuliana Pritchard led the Hawks with 7 rebounds each while Daniella DeBiase had a team high 3 steals. 
 
In near identical fashion to the victory last night, Hartwick jumped to an early double digit lead just 4 minutes into the game.   A layup by Pritchard and a triple from Molly Kirby book-ended the 12-0 run to start the contest.  The teams traded baskets the rest of the 1^st quarter, although Hartwick allowed just two made shots (both threes) in the opening quarter. The impressive defensive stand from the first spilled right over to the second quarter, where once again Hartwick allowed only two made three-pointers by the opponents.  The lead kept growing for Hartwick as they pushed it to 28, 40-12, at the half. 
 
A 10-1 run to start the second half pushed the lead to 37 and there was no looking back for the Hawks.  They led by as many as 39 late in the 4^th quarter before the game's final basket by Keuka cut the gap to its final score of 71-35.
 
This was the first meeting between the two teams since the 1996-97 season and only the 9^th overall between them.  Hartwick grabs the advantage in the series, 5-4, that will see the teams play much more now that Keuka has joined the Empire 8 conference just a season ago. 
 
Up next for Hartwick is their make-up game against Sage College that was postponed earlier this month.  The two teams adjusted their schedules and are slated to meet twice this week; first on Tuesday at 5:30pm in Lambros Arena, then again on Thursday at 5:30pm at Sage.   The Gators will come to Oneonta winners of their last two, and four of their last five.