ALBANY, N.Y. – Two-time defending Empire 8 Conference Champion Hartwick used a big second quarter to defeat host Russell Sage College 6-0 tonight.

After a scoreless opening period, the visiting Hawks (5-5/3-1 E8) scored twice in a 1:32 span to open the floodgates. All six of the Hartwick tallies came during the second stanza.

Freshman forward Makayla Bales scored twice to help the visitors register their third-straight win.

Freshman goalkeeper Olivia Brand (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) made double-digit saves for the third time in as many starts, turning away 10 Hartwick shots.

Midfielder Alexa Wentz (Whitney Point, NY/ Whitney Point), a grad student, and sophomore midfielder Cheyanne Zobel (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) each attempted two shots across the 60 minutes.

Looking ahead, RSC (1-10/1-4 E8) plays next on Saturday at Nazareth.

Gator Bites: The fall marks the first with Head Coach Carissa Warren leading the Gators…She arrived to Albany from two-time defending Empire 8 Conference Champion Hartwick…RSC delivered Warren her first career victory on September 27, a 7-0 E8 shutout of visiting Elmira…The Gators made the E8 Championship Tournament for the first time in 2023…11 players, including All-Conference selections Wentz and Zobel returned from the squad…As a rookie, Zobel ranked seventh in the country and second in the E8 with 0.75 assists per-game…She started the week ranked second in the Conference with 0.44assists-per game…Brand received an honorable mention to be the NFHCA Division III Defensive Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, September 29…The rookie scored a goal in the September 27 shutout of visiting Elmira before making 13 saves in her first collegiate start, a 2-0 non-conference setback at RPI on September 28…She was chosen the E8 Defensive Player of the Week honors for her efforts...Brand has now made 10 or more saves in each of her three starts in goal this autumn.