Box Score PHOTO GALLERY

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Sophomore Amber Bepko broke the Richmond Spiders momentum with a three pointer that regained the lead with 4:34 remaining as the Hawks never looked back in a 59-54 victory against the Atlantic-10 opponent on Sunday afternoon. Bepko led all players in the game with 16 points.

Bepko was one of three Hawks to finish in double figures joined by seniors Daphne Elliott and Nikkia Smith who finished with 12 and 10 points, respectively. As a team, Hartford (4-0 overall) finished the afternoon shooting 44.2 percent from the field on 23-of-52, including a season high six three pointers. Four of those long range buckets came from Bepko who finished 5-of-9 overall and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc.

Hartford also forced Richmond (1-3 overall) into 20 turnovers, the fourth time in as many games the Hawks have forced 20 or more miscues from their opponent. Today, the Hawks turned those 20 turnovers into 18 points and committed a season low 12 turnovers of their own, with just four in the second half.

Also among the scoring leaders was Ruthanne Doherty who finished with eight and Katie Roth who chipped in six. Roth led the Hawks with a season-high for all players of nine rebounds as Hartford lost the battle of the boards 35-31. Junior point guard Alyssa Englert finished with a season-high six assists, while Elliott led the Hawks pick-off attempts with three steals.

Roth opened the afternoon's scoring with a layup, the first points off turnovers for Hartford as Elliott picked off her first steal. Richmond answered right back 14 seconds later with a layup from leading scorer Rachael Bilney. Bilney finished today's game with 11 points after entering the contest averaging 15.7 points-per-game.

The teams would trade baskets for the first six minutes before a three pointer from Bilney gave the Spiders their first outright lead and a second from Kristina King provided their largest lead of the game, 14-8, with 9:36 remaining in the first half.

After a pair of free throws from Genevieve Okoro matched that lead for Richmond, the Hawks began a 10-0 run that culminated with back-to-back three pointers from Bepko that gave Hartford a 20-16 lead with 4:17 before the break. Hartford extended that run to 20-4, which allowed for the first and only double digit lead of the game 30-20 with 53second remaining before intermission. The Spiders went on to score the final three points of the half cutting the Hawks lead to 30-23 going into the locker room.

Roth opened up the second half with the first points on a layup 51 seconds into the action, but was answered just 12 seconds later on a three pointer from Richmond's Keri Soppe. The Hawks would maintain their advantage before a six point swing on back-to-back three pointers from Bilney gave the Spiders the slim 47-46 advantage with 6:31 remaining.

Hartford's defense took over and after forcing a turnover Bepko connected again on her fourth three pointer to regain the Hawks lead and start what was a 7-0 run that provided a 53-47 cushion with 3:14 remaining. Richmond managed just three baskets in the final three minutes, while the Hawks held on with layups from Elliott and Doherty and another two points the line for Elliott securing the victory despite a basket at the buzzer from Richmond's Becca Wann.

Hartford will play its second road game of the season when they travel to Amherst, Mass. for a date with the University of Massachusetts Minutewomen on Wednesday night. The Hawks and Minutewomen are scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start at the Mullins Center.