Hartwick, St. John Fisher Impress During Friday's E8 Women's Basketball Semifinal Action

2/22/2019 11:11:34 PM

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
Top-seeded Hartwick will take on third-seeded St. John Fisher in the 2019 Empire 8 Conference Women's Basketball Championship game. The title tilt is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. tip and will take place at Hartwick College's Lambros Arena. Here's how Friday's Semifinal action played out

#1 Hartwick 72, #4 Stevens 52
Hartwick's Mary Schoenherr was just one basket away from a triple-double on Friday night at Lambros Arena, but her career highs in rebounds and assists, with 13 apiece, were more than enough to help the Hawks defeat #4 Stevens, 72-52, and send the top-seeded Hawks to the E8 Finals. Hartwick won their 22nd game of the season, and is now 22-4, while the Ducks close out their season at 17-9. 

Stevens scored the first basket of the game, but that would be their only lead they had the entire night. Hartwick scored the next two buckets to take a 4-2 lead, although the visitors tied the game at four and then again at six 2:38 in. The Hawks took over from there. Schoenherr hit two free throws to kick off an 11-0 run.

Hartwick shot 48% from the field in the win, and limited Stevens to just under 30% from the floor. Kelly Pine led Hartwick with 21 points, while newly-crowned E8 first-team selection Anna Toke starred for the Ducks, registering a double-double with a team-high 12 rebounds and 11 points. 

#3 St. John Fisher 71, #2 Nazareth 55
Sydney Masna finished with a double-double as third-seeded St. John Fisher College overpowered second-seeded Nazareth, 71-55, on Friday night in the Semifinal Round of the E8 Championship. With the win, Fisher improved to 19-7 on the season and will advance to take on top-seeded Hartwick at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday with the winner earning the E8 title and an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Championship.

Masna finished with a game-high 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds. Senior Erin Hulbert, who was named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year earlier in the day, added 11 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals, while Ella Eckert, who earned an Honorable Mention All-Conference nod, posted 11 points of her own along with eight rebounds. Jadyn Abrams led the Nazareth attack scoring 15, including three made three-point shots.

Overall, the Cardinals were 26-of-50 (.520) from the floor and knocked down 16-of-24 attempts at the line. Fisher held a significant advantage in rebounding after hauling down 44 boards against just 26 for the Golden Flyers. 

Friday, February 22
Semifinal #1
No. 1 Hartwick 72, #4 Stevens 52
Semifinal #2 
No. 3 St. John Fisher 71, No. 2 Nazareth 55

Saturday, February 23
Empire 8 Championship - 3:30 p.m.
No. 1 Hartwick vs. No. 3 St. John Fisher 

- Information for this release provided by the athletic communication staffs at Hartwick and St. John Fisher - ?

ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com and https://youtu.be/wzL4HcDoUUQ