ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Hartwick Hawks slipped by the Houghton Highlanders in overtime on Saturday afternoon, 69-66, to remain unbeaten in Empire 8 conference play.
 
After trailing by six at the half, the Highlanders outscored the Hawks by seven in the third quarter to take a one-point lead.
 
The Hawks, however, sank a pair of free throws with 12 seconds remaining to go up by three.  In their final opportunity, Houghton freshman Cori Beck nailed a three-pointer with one second on the clock to send the game to overtime.
 
Hartwick led by three with 18 seconds left in overtime, but the Highlanders could not pull off another heroic feat to continue play.
 
Game Vitals
Score: Houghton – 66 | Hartwick – 69 (OT)
Records: Houghton: 7-6 (1-3 Empire 8) | Hartwick: 9-5 (6-0 Empire 8)
Venue: Lambros Arena, Hartwick College | Attendance: 200
 
Key Moments
>> Houghton began to trim the Hartwick lead early in the third quarter, and just five minutes in Elle Reed and Madison Detwiler sank back-to-back layups to give Houghton the lead, 34-33.
 
The two teams traded baskets through the ensuing minutes until Emily Swanson drained a jumper with six seconds on the clock to send the game into the final quarter with the Highlanders leading by one.
 
>> An early three by Reed put Houghton up by four in the fourth quarter, but Hartwick battled back, eventually taking a three point lead with two minutes remaining.
 
A steal by Reed gave the ball back to the Highlanders, and after corralling her own miss, Detwiler put home a basket to pull Houghton within one.
 
The teams traded missed baskets before a foul put Harwick on the line, where they drained both shots. 
 
With one opportunity remaining, Houghton could not find the bottom of the net.
 
Key Stats
>> Prior to today's contest, Hartwick had defeated their previous five Empire 8 opponents by an average of nearly 19 points per game, and none had been closer than 10 points.

>> Houghton held advantages in several key areas, including rebounds (49-35), second-chance points (17-4), and bench points (17-10).

>> Reed scored a team-high 18 points for the Highlanders, while Detwiler collected 13 points and eight rebounds.
 
>> Brittany Lenart, who has seen limited playing time this year due to injury, sank 4-of-7 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arch for 11 points.
 
>> Caitlin Corbitt and Emily Stone carried the lion's share of the scoring load for the Hawks, contributing 20 and 18 points apiece, respectively.  Stone shot a perfect 11-for-11 from the line.

 Coach's Corner
"I am very pleased with our effort in the second half after struggling to make shots in the first two quarters.  We came out strong in the 3rd quarter outscoring Hartwick by 8 points which showed some grit from our team."

"We did a really good job rebounding and limiting 3pt shots from the Hawks who have a few players that can get hot on any given night.  Allowing only 3 made and 14 taken on the night with 2 of those coming in overtime play is a game plan well executed on the defensive end."  

"Very proud of our offensive execution and made shots in particular by Reed, Detwiler, Beck and Lenart.  Each made shots in vital parts of the game which kept the momentum in our favor heading into over-time."

"Overall, I am thankful for our resilience and fortitude throughout the game.  This shows growth, mental strength and a lot of promise for our women as we continue to head into Empire 8 play."

"Although we faced some struggles last night at Stevens, our shear determination, heart and passion were very evident today.  Hartwick is a very good team who will continue to do well in the Empire 8.  We will be ready and eager to see them on our home floor in February."   –Coach Alicia Mucher

 
Next Time Out
Houghton returns to the friendly home confines of the Nielsen Center on Tuesday as they take on the visiting Elmira College Soaring Eagles at 6:00 p.m. in another Empire 8 matchup.