Hamden, CT - The University of Hartford women's basketball team dropped a 73-61 decision to instate rival Quinnipiac on Wednesday in Hamden. The Hawks were led by Diana Delva who finished with a career-high 30 points. Hartford falls to 4-4 on the season, while the Bobcats improve to 6-1 overall.

Delva finished the game shooting 11-of-14 (.786) from the field and 8-of-9 from the free throw line to lead the team. Erica Beverly also finished in double figures for Hartford, completing her third double double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. She finished the game shooting 50 percent from the field, 6-of-12, and was 3-of-3 at the free throw line.

As a team, the Hawks shot 37.9 percent (22-of-58) from the field, struggling to find the basket in the first half, connecting on just 10-of-29 shots. The Hawks finished with a 35-32 advantage on the boards, led by Beverly's 10. Delva added seven rebounds. Beverly and Delva also combined to block seven shots, four from Beverly and three from Delva.

The Hawks got behind early and could only pull back into contention once, early in the second half. The Bobcats opened the game with seven straight points, taking an 7-2 lead, the only Hawks basket in the first three-plus minutes coming from Delva 25 seconds into the game. After Hartford pulled within one, 9-8 with 15:17 to play in the half, the Bobcats used an 11-2 run to pull ahead by their first double digit lead, 21-10 with under 12 minutes to play in the half. The only two Hartford points in that span were a pair of free throws from Katie Kelley.

Quinnipiac's largest lead of the first half came on two occasions, the second with 5:38 to play in the stanza, 31-16. Hartford battled to pull within eight going into the break, scoring six of the final seven points of the half. Delva led all scorers in the first half with 14 points on 6-of-7 from the field.

Hartford came out of the break and used a 9-2 run to pull within one, 39-38 with 16:03 to play in the game. Amanda Weaver put the Hawks within reach with her second, of three, three pointer of the game. The Bobcats answered right backs with a 13-2 run to extend their lead back to double digits, 52-40, with 11:47 remaining.

Quinnipiac pulled its lead back to 15, matching their highest lead, with just over nine minutes to play. Mandy Pennewell gave Quinnipiac the large lead with a three pointer, her third of the game. The Hawks had the game within reach, 63-57, using an 8-1 run that saw all the scoring come from the post, six from Delva and two from Beverly.

After Delva again put Hartford within six, 65-59, with 1:36 to pl ay, the Bobcats put the game out of reach scoring six-straight, four a the free throw line and a steal and layup from Brianna Rooney, to go up 71-59 with 31 seconds remaining.

The Bobcats finished with five players in double figures, with Pennewell leading the team with 13 points. Rooney added 12 and Kathleen Neyens, Erin Kerner and Felicia Barron all added 11. The Bobcats shot 46.0 percent (23-of-50) from the field, including 54 percent from three point land (7-of-13). Quinnipiac also connected on 20-of-26 from the free throw line, while Hartford finished 14-of-16 from the line, including a perfect 6-of-6 in the second half.

The Hawks return to the friendly confines of Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion for the first time since November 18, welcoming the St. Joseph's Hawks on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. The game is part of a double header with the men's team, who hosts La Salle, with both games scheduled to air on NESN.