ONEONTA, NY - The Utica University women's basketball team fell short in its Empire 8 Tournament First Round contest to the Hartwick College Hawks, 69-44, on Tuesday evening. 
 
The Pioneers conclude their 2023-24 season 10-16 overall while having qualified for the E8 Tournament for the second time in the past three seasons. The Hawks (13-13, 9-7 Empire 8) will advance to Thursday's Empire 8 Semifinal to take on top-seeded St. John Fisher University. 
 
A pair of players finished with double-digit points in senior Hope Halvarson (Cranston, RI/Cranston East) (11, 5-12 FG) and freshman Vanessa Hall (Whitesville, NY/Whitesville Central) (10, 3-9 FG, 4-4 FT). Hall also brought in a team high seven rebounds. Graduate student Julia Rotando (Cold Spring, NY/Haldane) totaled nine points and three steals while Hayleigh Lagase (Wallingford, CT/Mark T. Sheehan) contributed five points and five boards. 
 
Hartwick was led by Bree Fargnoli and Isabella Astorino, who combined for 34 of the team's 69 points and did so on 15-for-24 shooting from the field. 
 
As a team, the Hawks shot nearly 50 percent from the floor (30-59) while the Pioneers were limited to 37.2 percent shooting (16-43). Hartwick also forced 28 Utica turnovers which led to 26 points. 
 
The sides traded blows over the opening five minutes of play with Rotando accounting for four points while Haley Burchhardt (Schenectady, NY/Schalmont) jumper made it a 7-6 game at the 4:34 mark. However, the Hawks went on an 8-0 run over the ensuing two minutes and eventually closed out the first quarter up 15-8. 
 
Despite solid shooting from the Pioneers in the second (5-8 FG, 3-3 FT), the Hawks generated 14 points off of nine Utica turnovers to wrap-up the quarter 24-14 as the Pioneers faced a 39-22 deficit at the break. 
 
Both teams utilized the paint in the third quarter, matching one another at 12 points apiece. However, the Hawks' lone three-pointer of the third served to be the difference in the 10 minute battle. Going into the fourth, it was a 54-36 score  in favor of Hartwick. 
 
In the final quarter of play, Hartwick matched nearly each successful Utica offensive possession to deny the Pioneers a comeback attempt.