COURTESY: Nazareth Sports Information
ROCHESTER, NY - Senior Heather Pruchanksy (Naples, FL/Community School of Naples) scored a game-high 20 points, but the Hartwick College women's basketball team (6-14) fell to Nazareth (10-11) on the road on Friday night by a final score of 62-57. The Hawks and Golden Flyers are now tied for fifth in the E8 standings at 4-8.
Pruchansky's 20 points included thee three-point baskets. Cassie Dresser (Ovid, NY/South Seneca) finished with nine points. Pruchansky and Krystle Crouse (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) each grabbed a team-best six rebounds.
With the score tied at 14-14 early in the first half, Nazareth embarked on a 14-4 scoring run to take its largest lead of the game, 28-18, following a basket by Ashley Gallagher with 7:08 left in the half. Hartwick, however, went on a 12-0 run of its own to go up by two and eventually extending its advantage to four, 34-30, following a basket by Jordan Nichols (Bloomville, NY/South Seneca) with 3:37 left.
Nazareth recovered to take a five-point halftime lead, 40-35, as Pirozzolo converted a three-point play with 10 seconds left in the half to provide the difference.
The Golden Flyers never trailed in the second half and they extended the lead to 10, 56-46, following a pair of free throws by Jenee Vanderstyne with 6:57 left. Hartwick stayed close and drew within three, 60-57, following a pair of free throws by Pruchansky. But following a timeout, Nazareth was able to break the Hawks' full-court pressure as Kylie Bartlett scored a layup in the closing seconds to bring the final margin to 62-57.
Senior Rachel Pirozzolo scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the hosts as the Golden Flyers snapped a three-game losing streak. Nazareth got seven points each from Gallagher, Bartlett and Brittany Wilson. Sophomore Brittany Tallchief grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
The Hawks have four conference games left on the docket and need to gain ground on fourth-place St. John Fisher (7-6 E8) in their quest for an E8 playoff berth. 'Wick hosts a pair of pivotal games next weekend as it entertains first-place Ithaca (11-0 E8) and third-place Stevens (9-3 E8) on February 12th and 14th, respectively.
