HOUGHTON, N.Y. – The Hartwick Women's Basketball team hit the road for a head-to-head matchup against the Highlanders, falling to Houghton in a conference contest on Friday night.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Hartwick 48 Houghton 94
Location: Houghton, N.Y. | The Nielsen Center
Records: Hartwick (5-18, 2-12 Empire 8) • Houghton (18-5, 9-5 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Hartwick geared up for its final road trip of the season, opening the weekend against the fourth-place Houghton Highlanders in conference play. The Hartwick Hawks stumbled out of the gates, conceding a 14–4 run to start. Yadi Smith (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) found Macy Durkin (Syracuse, N.Y.) on consecutive drives to open the scoring for the Blue and White.
Emma Cohen (Utica, N.Y.) followed with back-to-back buckets, one assisted by Smith, before Smith added a driving score of her own. However, turnover trouble plagued the Hawks early, allowing the conference's top three-point shooting team to build momentum from beyond the arc. Houghton poured in 28 points in the opening quarter behind a strong offensive showing.
A slow shooting second quarter compounded the adversity for Hartwick. Despite trimming the turnovers, the Hawks struggled to solve Houghton's defense. The Highlanders capitalized on a seven-rebound advantage and continued their sharp perimeter shooting, adding another 20-point quarter to take a double-digit lead into halftime.
Houghton maintained control after the break, once again using its rebounding edge and three-point barrage to keep Hartwick at bay as the Hawks continued searching for offensive rhythm.
Hartwick battled in the final frame, posting their game-best 18 points. Smith and Meghan Paul (Waterford, N.Y.) led the charge with five points apiece in the quarter. Smith turned in a strong all-around performance, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Durkin added eight points and eight rebounds, while Cohen and Paul chipped in eight points each.
Despite the late push, the Hawks ultimately fell to the Highlanders in Friday night's conference matchup.
UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
The Hawks will round out the weekend road trip with a 2PM tip-off against the Alfred Saxons on Saturday, February 14th.
About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.
