ALBANY, N.Y. – The Hartford women's basketball team cruised to their eighth America East Championship title game with a 64-33 semifinal victory over the Vermont Catamounts on Sunday at SEFCU Arena at the University at Albany. Hartford advances to face the top-seeded Albany Great Danes in the title game on Saturday, March 16 at 7:00 p.m. in Albany. 

A balanced scoring attack for the Hawks, which saw 11 different players notching points, was led by senior Ruthanne Doherty who finished with 13 points. The Hawks defense forced the Catamounts into a record-tying 31 turnovers, while limiting them to just eight first half points. The 33 points the Hawks held Vermont to is the least scored in a semifinal contest, while the 17 steals Hartford collected tied for the most in a semifinal game and is the fifth-most in a tournament game.

Joining Doherty in leading the Hawks against Vermont was sophomore Shanise Bultron who chipped nine points, all from beyond the arc, as well as eight from Amber Bepko and Cherelle Moore. Overall for the game, Hartford shot 39.3 percent from the field (22-of-56), including a 45.2 percent effort in the opening half (14-of-31). The Hawks made five of their 11 three point attempts and connected on 15-of-22 from the free throw line.

The Hawks also won the battle of the boards with a 31-30 advantage, led by redshirt freshman Katie Roth who grabbed six boards to go along with seven points. In addition to 11 players contributing offensively, the same number grabbed at least one rebound with Doherty following Roth with five. Alyssa Englert finished with a team-high three assists, while Daphne Elliott and Bepko each finished with a team-best three steals.

Hartford came out of the gates and fired on all cylinders offensively and defensively, opening up an early 12-4 lead and never looked back. The Hawks scored the opening bucket nearly 120 seconds into the action as Bepko picked off a Catamounts pass and drove straight to the hoop. The Catamounts answered back on their next possession before Hartford broke the only tie of the contest with their first three pointer from Bultron.

After Niki Taylor scored Catamounts second of four first half baskets with 15:08 remaining in the half, Hartford began the first of three runs in the stanza. The first run totaled seven points and ended with a three point play from Taylor Clark.

Vermont's Taylor added two more on her third bucket of the game before the Hawks began their next run, this time stringing together 13-straight to open up a 25-6 advantage with under four minutes before the break.

Tierra Shumpert broke up the Hawks momentum for Vermont with a jumper, but Hartford would go on to end the half scoring the last 10 and taking a 35-8  lead into the locker room. Hartford forced Vermont into 19 first half turnovers, while the Catamounts connected on just 4-of-15 from the field (26.7 percent.).

Hartford struck first coming out of the intermission with a three pointer from Daphne Elliott. Vermont would then begin a six minute stretch where they scored 10-of-13 cutting the Hawks lead to 41-18 with 12:50 remaining.

The Hawks responded by holding Vermont scoreless over the next 3:50 and in that same stretch scoring 10 unanswered points to regain a 33 point advantage. The Hawks 10-0 run include three pointers from Bultron and Elliott and ended with a pull-up jumper from Englert.

Despite Laureen Buschmann breaking the Hawks momentum with a layup at the nine minute mark, the Hawks would go on to open up their largest lead of 35 following a jump shot from Doherty and 2-of-2 at the line from Bepko that provided a 57-22 cushion.