The Hamilton women’s basketball team started their season on a hot streak. After winning two games at the Brockport Tip-Off Classic, against Hartwick College and Alfred University, the Continentals went on to defeat SUNY Polytechnic, Utica, Morrisville State, Cazenovia, and Union, dominating in out-of-conference play. In the final game prior to Winter Break against the Bard College Raptors, the Continentals grabbed another win, as Carly O’Hern ’20, Samantha Srinivasan ’18 and Lauren Getman ’18 each added at least nine points, while Steiner was credited with three assists and Mackenzie Aldridge ’20 grabbed three steals. Eleven Continentals got into the scoring column including first-years Scout Lansing ’21 and Kayla Glemaud ’21, who added layups to put the Continentals ahead by 22 early in the second quarter. Both O’Hern and Getman added at least ten points in five of the opening eight games; Halie Serbent ’19 did the same in three of the opening eight games. Hamilton’s 8–0 record was the best start to its season in program history.

With seven games over Winter Break — three of them against NESCAC rivals, — it was vital for the Continentals to persevere and maintain their focus. Against tough competition, the women won three games, including one NESCAC win against the Trinity College Bantams. In this game, the Continentals never gave up their lead, as Serbent, Marie Steiner ’20 and Mia Caterisano ’19 tallied double digit points; Caterisano achieved a career-high 12 points and went 6-for-7 from from the floor in only 16 minutes. No matter Trinity’s play, Hamilton had an answer. At the half, Hamilton had a seven point cushion. Trinity added two three-point baskets during the beginning of the third quarter, but Hamilton responded with a 5–0 spurt, allowing them to preserve their lead through the end of the third quarter. Despite a 7–1 Trinity run, springing them within two points of a tie, Srinivasan and Aldridge went 2-for-2 at the free throw line with 30 seconds left, helping the Continentals clinch their first NESCAC win, 68–66. Hamilton also found wins against SUNY-Potsdam and Salem State over the break, while falling to North Park and William Smith, as well as NESCAC opponents Wesleyan and Connecticut College.

Anxious to get back on their home court after a long string of intense competition during Winter Break, the Hamilton women’s basketball team was ready to take on the remainder of their season with a competitive schedule of seven more NESCAC games and two non-NESCAC games. The Continentals grabbed wins against non-conference teams SUNY-Brockport and Albany College of Pharmacy and Sciences. Against SUNY-Brockport, the Continentals were behind by 12 points partway through the second quarter but soon restored their lead, as Steiner totaled 13 points in her second career game start and Kendall Rallins ’19 added 12 points and four steals.

At Albany College of Pharmacy and Sciences, the Continentals had one of the most impressive team performances so far this season. All 13 Hamilton players scored at least two points while Hamilton shot 50 percent from the floor. The Continentals had a 44-point lead midway through the fourth quarter and again in the final minute of the game. This was Hamilton’s thirteenth win, giving the team its highest win total since their 2009–2010 season. The victory also closed out the non-conference portion of Hamilton’s season, in which they sported an impressive 12–2 record.

Unfortunately, between the victories over Brockport and Albany College of Pharmacy, the Continentals fell to Amherst, the number one team in the country. This past weekend, Hamilton also fell to then-third in the country Bowdoin and lost a senior day heartbreaker to Colby in spite of 25 points from Serbent. While their overall record, 13–7, is strong, Hamilton has won just one of its first six NESCAC games and sits at ninth in the 11 team conference with four conference games left to play. In order to finish in the top eight of the conference and obtain a playoff berth, Hamilton must win at least two of its final four games and probably three. The Continentals have the eighth-best offense in conference play, paced by Serbent, Getman, and Steiner, who have averaged 13.3, 8.5, and 8.2 points respectively in the first six conference games. Srinivasan and Getman, who have grabbed seven and six rebounds per game in the conference, lead Hamilton on the boards, while Aldridge, Rallins, and Srinivasan have each chipped in at least two assists per conference game. Hamilton’s final four games come against Bates, top-ten ranked Tufts, Middlebury, and Williams. In order to compete in those games and make the playoffs, the Continentals’ defense must improve. Hamilton’s defense ranks last in the conference in conference play, as the team has yielded 70 points per game, more than five points per game more than the next highest team, Bates, and 30 points per game more than the team with the conference’s top defense, Amherst.

While the recent conference losses were tough to swallow, the team is forging ahead and thankful that they remain in the playoff race. “We’re focusing on keeping our heads up and being optimistic. We have to hone in on our defense in these last few games,” reflects Serbent. Getman added that, “After a tough weekend, the remaining four regular season games have become even more crucial important for us. At this point, we are really focusing on optimism, intensity, and hard work.” The team knows it must improve in order to make the playoffs and make a run in the tournament. “Everyone is putting in time outside of practice to work on their game. We feel as if we are all on the same page with our mentality going forward into our final two weekends,” Getman added.

Crunch time has arrived for the Hamilton women; these next two weekends will decide the fate of their season. The Continentals women host Bates on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the Margaret Bundy Scott Field House. Tufts, currently ranked in the top ten of both polls, comes to town on Saturday for a 3:00 p.m. matinee. The following weekend, the last of the regular season, the Continentals travel to Middlebury, VT, and Williamstown, MA, to take on the Panthers and Ephs, respectively. Hamilton is in a do-or-die situation and they know it.

“We know we have to win to keep the season alive,” Getman imparts. The cards are on the table; Hamilton’s fate is in its own hands. Serbent stated plainly, “We’ve got four NESCAC games left, and we are going to do our best to win.”