Senior Ruthanne Doherty tries to find an open teammate as court vision has and will continue to be a priority. Brian Izzo | The Informer
The women’s basketball team looked to continue making progress through America East play as they neared closer to the America East tournament in a few weeks.
The Hawks looked to take on Maine and Albany this past Wednesday and Sunday, respectively.
First, the ladies took on the Blackbears from Maine on Wednesday and thoroughly dominated the entire four quarters.
Sophomores, Amber Bepko and Shanise Bultron, both had career high scores, along with a school record of 14 three pointers, which led to a win of 82-56.
Bepko finished with 21 points and Bultron with 18. This was the second straight game where Bepko finished with 20 or more points, while Bultron’s surpassed her career high of 10 points.
The pair also combined for 10 of Hartford’s 14 three pointers. Hartford also accounted for 24 assists, which is a season high, and is the most since a 2010 game against UMBC.
Hartford also led the battle of the boards, the third time in the last four games, with a 35-33 advantage led by five rebounds each for Nikkia Smith and Katie Roth.
All but one of Hartford’s players who played finished with at least one rebound.
In addition to Bepko’s 21 points she also tied her career high with six assists, leading all players, while finishing with four rebounds.
The Hawks would match that advantage on two more occasions, the first after trading three point baskets from Michals and Roberts, which resulted in a 65-36 differential.
The final 29 point advantage came with under a minute remaining as Diamond Doe went back-to-back for the Hawks with a jumper and a lay-up, her first points of the season, to put the Hawks ahead 82-53 with 45 seconds remaining.
However, the Hawks were not as lucky in there game against undefeated in league play, the Albany Great Danes.
Bepko once again led the Hawks for the third straight game with 16 points, but the team fell 69-55.
The Hawks, now 8-5 in America East play, finished the contest shooting 30.6 percent (15-of-49), including a 33.3 percent effort from long range (7-of-21).
Albany used a 60 percent (12-of-20) second half shooting effort, 53.7 percent for the game (22-of-41), to secure their 12 straight victory.
The Great Danes also won the battle of the boards with a 35-23 advantage as Julie Forster led all players with 10 rebounds. Ruthanne Doherty led Hartford with six boards.
Defensively, the Hawks forced Albany into 24 turnovers, but managed to score just 10 points off of those miscues.
In turn, the Great Danes scored 22 points off of just 16 Hartford turnovers.
Alyssa Englert led all players in the game with five assists as her team finished with 12 assists on their 15 total baskets.
Doherty led the way with four steals.
With losing both times to Albany this season, the Hawks will look to avenge themselves heading into the tournament if they do come across Albany at some point.
With just three games left to play, the girls look to boost their standings for the best possible seed they can get in the America East tournament.