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WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior Ruthanne Doherty led three Hawks in double figures with a season-high for all players of 21 points as the Hawks scored their eighth victory of the season 67-61 over the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Sunday afternoon at the Chase Family Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion. Doherty and the Hawks improve to 8-2 overall in 2012-13.

Joining the senior post player in double figures was classmate Nikkia Smith and sophomore Amber Bepko who finished with 14 and 11 points respectively. Doherty led all players in the game with a 10-of-16 shooting effort as her team combined to shoot 45.3 percent on 24-of-53. Smith finished the contest 3-of-7 from the field but was a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line, while leading the Hawks with eight rebounds as the team finished in a 34-34 rebounding stalemate.

It was a defensive struggle throughout the afternoon with 47 total turnovers, 24 for the home team and 23 for the Bobcats. The Hawks turned Quinnipiac's 23 turnovers into 22 points, while the Bobcats scored 27 points off of Hartford's miscues. Hartford outscored its opponent 34-26 in the paint and converted their nine offensive rebounds into 12 second chance points.

The Bobcats opened up the scoring with a layup from senior Felicia Barron, who finished with a team-high 16 points. Following a matching basket from Doherty, the Bobcats went on to score the next five and open up the early 7-2 lead following a three pointer from Samantha Guastella with 17:00 minutes left in the first half.

Following the Hawks first three pointer of the afternoon from Alyssa Englert with 13:50 remaining, the Bobcats, who entered the afternoon without a loss, scored another five-straight to take a 17-10 advantage with 11:04 remaining before the break. All five of those points came from Jasmine Martin.

The Hawks answered the seven point deficit by scoring the next 12 points to take their first lead of the contest and an eventual 22-17 advantage following a layup from Englert. The initial go-ahead points in the run came from Bepko on a pair of free throws, while Doherty began the streak with back-to-back layups.

Katie Carroll broke up what was almost a six minute drought for the Bobcats with a three pointer followed by a jump shot from Gillian Abshire as the Bobcats stormed back to tie the score with 3:09 remaining before intermission. Doherty broke up that five-point run for Quinnipiac before a second three pointer from Carroll gave Quinnipiac a 25-24 lead.

The Hawks would go on to score 10 of the final 15 points of the half taking a 34-30 lead into the break. Six of those 10 points came from Bepko as she finished the half with eight points behind only Doherty in leading Hartford through the first 20 minutes. The final basket of the half came courtesy of a Katie Roth layup with 19 seconds remaining.

Coming out of the break, the Bobcats used the momentum of the first basket of the half to score 11 of the first 13 points and open up a 41-36 advantage before the first media timeout. After matching that lead on a layup from Brittany McQuain, the Hawks responded by scoring the next 15 to take a 53-43 advantage they wouldn't relinquish. Bepko began that run with a three pointer, while Doherty and Smith each added four points in the run.

Guastella broke the Hawks run with a layup just inside the 10 minute mark as the Bobcats brought the Hartford advantage within one basket following a three pointer and layup from Barron, the second of which on the fast break. Following a pair of free throws from Smith, the Bobcats managed to pull within two, 59-57, on a three pointer from Martin with 2:10 remaining.

The Hawks would hold on with their stingy defense forcing a pair of turnovers in the final minute and Smith hitting 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the final 48 seconds to hand the Bobcats their first defeat of the year.

Hartford returns to the Chase Family Arena on Saturday, December 22 when they welcome the second ranked Connecticut Huskies to West Hartford for a first time meeting on the Hawks home court. The battle of nutmeg state rivals will tip-off at 1:00 p.m. and be followed by a men's game as they host the Marist Red Foxes at 3:30 p.m.