Nazareth, Hartwick, Houghton and Stevens Top E8 Opponents
Nazareth 63, Elmira 50
Nazareth freshman
Lindsey Kelly recorded game highs in points (17) and rebounds (7) Friday as visiting Nazareth secured its first Empire 8 Conference win in women's basketball with a 63-50 triumph over Elmira.
The victory brings the Golden Flyers to 4-9 overall and 1-2 in the Empire 8 Conference. The loss drops the Soaring Eagles to 5-8 overall and 1-3 in the E8.
Elmira scored the first basket of the game, then Nazareth scored the next seven points and never trailed again. Sophomore
Maria Allocco scored to tie the score, then Kelly added a basket and freshman
Veronica Peck hit a three-pointer to give Nazareth the early lead. Elmira stayed close in the first half and was within one point, 28-27, following a basket by Jessica Zoltowski with :37 left. Nazareth's
Melissa Reeves then converted an old-fashioned three-point play with :10 left in the half to give the Golden Flyers a four-point cushion at the break.
Nazareth dominated the second half by hitting 12 of 19 shots from the field (63.2 percent), while holding the Soaring Eagles to just seven baskets in 25 attempts (28 percent). The Golden Flyers used a 17-4 scoring spree in the first five minutes of the second half to boost the lead to 18 points, 48-31. The scoring run was fueled by three-pointers from
Erica Shaw and
Megan Morrison. The lead grew to 20 points, 58-38, following two free throws by Shaw with 5:15 left and Elmira never seriously challenged thereafter.
Kelly's 17 points came on 8-for-14 shooting, Morrison finished with 10 points, including two three-pointers. Shaw added nine, Allocco and Peck eight points each.
Hartwick 65, St. John Fisher 52
Hartwick juniors
Kate Purcell (Buffalo, NY/Mt. Mercy Academy),
Maria Foglia (Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central), and freshman
Brittney Dumas (Easton, CT/Joel Barlow HS) combined for 50 points, 16 rebounds, nine assists, and five steals on Friday night as Hartwick's women's basketball team improved to 10-3 overall and 3-0 in the Empire 8 with a 65-52 victory over visiting St. John Fisher (5-9, 2-3 E8).
Foglia and Dumas each scored 18 points to lead the Hawks. Foglia made 6-of-10 from the field and all six of her free throws. Dumas made eight of her 10 shots to go along with five boards. Purcell netted 14 points and had eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Carlee Hirt (Beacon, NY/John Jay-East Fishkill) scored six for 'Wick.
The lead changed hands six times with four ties in a very even first half between the two clubs. The Hawks led by just two points, 25-23, with 2:27 left in the half after a Fisher bucket from Camryn Buckner. 'Wick, however, would close the half on a 9-2 run for a 34-25 edge at the break. Dumas scored seven points with Hirt adding a basket for the Blue and White in the span.
The Cardinals closed the gap to five early in the second stanza after scoring six of the first eight points. Baskets from Dumas and Foglia put 'Wick back up by nine.
The Hawks made their move with just under seven minutes to go in the game. Leading by eight, 46-38, a
Kait Veit(Easthampton, MA/Holyoke Catholic) layup made it a double-digit advantage and triggered a 9-2 spurt over the next 1:41 to extend the Hawks' lead to 15 points, 55-40. Purcell scored five points with Veit adding four in the run.
Hartwick led by as many as 17 points twice in the final two and a half minutes in the victory, which is the team's third straight over St. John Fisher.
Hirt would close the game with six points for the Hawks. She added four rebounds. Veit ended the night with five points.
Fisher was paced on the night by Buckner who led all scorers with 19 points. She added a game-high nine rebounds. Brooke Seavitt contributed 16 points for the Cardinals.
Houghton 76, Utica 64
The Houghton College women’s basketball team pushed their record to 7-5 with a hard fought win against the Pioneers from Utica College on Friday night.
The Highlanders surrendered the first basket of the game, but quickly scored 20 straight points within the first seven minutes of the first half. The Highlanders led by as much as 19 during the first half and went into the break leading by nine after Utica put together an 11-1 run.
The second half played out much like the first half, with the Highlanders continuing to lead over the Pioneers by as much as fifteen. The Pioneers got within 7 points with about a minute left to play, but the Highlanders used a 9 for 10 free throw shooting performance down the stretch to close them out. The final score was 76-64.
Kristen Moose (Swain, NY, Canaseraga CS) scored a game-high 25 points while also collecting 12 rebounds and dishing out seven assists.
Kaitlyn Gaffney (Randolph, NJ, Randolph HS) scored 16 points including two three pointers.
Kaitlin Hammersley(Weedsport, NY, Weedsport CS) and
Michelle Persons (Sherman, Sherman CS) finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Meghan Fiore contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds to the Pioneers’ effort.
Stevens 62, Alfred 46
The Stevens Institute of Technology women's basketball team won its Empire 8 matchup with Alfred University going away 62-46 on Friday night. The victory evened the Ducks' season record at 6-6 and moved Stevens to 3-1 in conference.
Fouls and free throws were the story of the first half, as the teams combined for 26 infraction whistles. Stevens held a comfortable 41-24 advantage at the break, but would have had an even larger lead if they were able to improve on their free throws, which the Ducks converted at just a 42 percent clip.
Miranda Ripken (Fallston, Md.) led the way with nine points in the first half, and
Dylan Krause (Atlanta, Ga.),
Lisa Tessitore (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) and
Jen Thompson (Linwood, N.J.) followed in neat order with eight, seven and six points, respectively.
The Ducks held Alfred to just 25 percent shooting from the floor, and forced 12 Saxon turnovers in the first. Stevens also won the battle of the boards 31-22.
Five minutes into the second period, the Ducks had more than doubled-up Alfred and held a 52-25 advantage.
In a play that typified the night, Stevens forced a turnover on the defensive end at the six-minute mark of the second period. The Ducks systematically broke down the Alfred press and then exploited a mismatch in the post. Benjamin fed Krause for the easy lay-in and the 59th and 60th points of the game.
Krause led all scorers with 17, and
Avis Benjamin (Queens, N.Y.) had 16 to lead the Ducks offense. Tessitore (10) was also in double figures for the Castle Pointers.