Sage gives Hartwick a run for their money in season finale

Sage gives Hartwick a run for their money in season finale
Albany, NY—Caitlin Corbett scored a game high 23 points with foru assists to lead Hartwick College to a 67-58 women's basketball victory over The Sage Colleges at Kahl Gym Monday night. It was the final regular-season game for both teams. With the victory, the Hawks (21-4, 14-2 in the Empire 8) clinched the #1 seed in the upcoming Empire 8 Tournament. Nazareth, St. John Fisher and Stevens will join the Hawks in the league playoffs. Sage completed the season 12-13 overall and 7-9 in the Empire 8.
 
Maggie Kirby scored 13 points with seven rebounds and Kelly Pine added 12 with a team high eight rebounds for Hartwick. Mary Schoenherr pulled down seven boards and dished out a game best seven assists. Hartwick shot 42% and made eight of nine free throw attempts (89%).
 
Sage was led by senior guard Emily Parslow (Fonda, NY/Fonda-Fultonville), who scored 18 points, including five made three pointers, and also added eight rebounds. Parslow, who is Sage's all-time three-point leader, finishes her illustrious career with 256 and broke the single-season three-point record as well this month as she had 86 this year. Parslow wraps up her Gator career ranked third all-time in scoring with her 1,370 points.
 
Sage sophomore forward Madasyn Bush (Pottersville, NY/North Warren Central) recorded her third double-double of the season. She had 14 points and a game high 10 rebounds. Junior forward Megan Flynn (Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls Central) scored 13 points, making all five of her shots from the floor. Senior guard Macie Holmes (Amsterdam, NY/Mekeel Christian Academy) added seven points after making her 107th career appearance which stands second all-time at Sage. Holmes has 733 career points and is 15th on the Gator career scoring list, while standing third with her 159 career three-pointers. Senior guard Danielle Stannard (Valley Falls, NY/Hoosic Valley Central) scored a career high seven points and her team high six assists also produced a career high.
 
The first quarter had five ties, and it was 13-13 with 3:55 left before the Hawks went on 12-5 run to close the quarter with a 25-18 lead. Hartwick got up by as many as 14 after a layup by Pine made it 35-21 with 5:52 left in the first half. But the Gators got hot led by four points from Holmes and a 13-4 run produced just a five point deficit at halftime, with Hartwick up 39-34.
 
In the third, with 6:29 left, a three-pointer by Parslow tied the game at 43-43. But Hartwick went on a 12-5 run the rest of the quarter to take a 55-48 lead into the fourth period. Another Parslow three with 7:22 remaining in the fourth pulled the Gators to within one at 55-54. But the Hawks got up by eight with 3:34 left (64-56) and Kirby made three free throws with 2:33 left that opened up an 11 point lead en route the win. 
 
The contest marked the conclusion of four Sage women's basketball seniors, Emily Parlsow, Macie Holmes, Lauren Cross (Moriah Center, NY/Moriah Central), and Danielle Stannard (Valley Falls, NY/Hoosic Valley Central). This foursome helped the Gators to a league regular-season crown as rookies, a conference championship and an NCAA bid as sophomores, while earning a spot in the 2017-2018 Empire tournament in their first year in the new conference, while combining for over 2,200 points while combining for a 71-36 record during their time in a Sage uniform.
 
Hartwick College, which captured the 2018-2019 Empire 8 regular-season championship, will open play in the league's tournament this Friday, February 22 hosting the semifinals and championships.