Women's Basketball

Ithaca Outguns 'Wick Women's Hoop Team

ITHACA, NY - Host Ithaca (13-7, 9-2) shot 46% from the floor and 57% from three-point range compared to Hartwick's 32% shooting night and 14% showing from beyond the arc in a 70-49 win in Empire 8 women's basketball Friday night at Ben Light Gymnasium in Ithaca. The Bombers improve to 9-2 in the conference and grab a share of first place with both Stevens and Utica. Hartwick slips to 4-7 and sits in 7th place in the standings.

Eleven Bombers made it into the scoring column led by Tracy Bradley's 11 points and Riley Dunn's 10. Elissa Klie scored nine points and Lindsay Brown, Megan Rumschik, and Katherine Bixby each added eight.

Lauren Ploof (Hammond, NY) led Hartwick with 11 points. Fritzi Flores (Bergenfield, NJ) and Krystle Crouse (Canajoharie, NY) dropped in nine points apiece.

The Bombers jumped out to an eight-point lead, 12-4, with only four and a half minutes played in the first half to take control early. The lead would grow to 11 points (21-10) with under 10 minutes to go in the half, but the Hawks ripped off an 11-3 run led by five points from Flores to cut the advantage to three, 24-21, with 4:34 before the break.

Ithaca would erase any chance of a 'Wick comeback in the final four and half minutes outscoring the Hawks. The Bombers were hot from the outside as they hit four of their eight three-pointers of the contest in the big run.

Over the first eight minutes of the second half, Hartwick could not bring the Bomber lead down to less than 14 points until a 7-0 three-minute run made the score 47-37 with 11 minutes remaining. Flores was again the catalyst in the span with four points. A quick 10-2 Bomber run, however, would give the hosts an 18-point lead with 6:55 to play, and they would maintain at least an 18-point edge for the final seven minutes for the victory.

Hartwick is back in action tomorrow afternoon against Elmira College at 2 p.m. In their previous meeting, the Hawks pulled away in the closing minutes for a 63-57 win over the Soaring Eagles on Jan. 23rd.