it took 30 minutes for the Hillsdale College women's basketball team to make a 3-point shot in Monday's road game versus the University of Findlay. But once the first dropped, the floodgates opened.
The Chargers exploded for a 16-0 run that flipped an eight-point deficit into an eight-point lead, one it wouldn't lose in a 66-61 win over the Oilers at Findlay's Croy Gymnasium. The win snapped a five-game losing streak at Findlay for Hillsdale, the Chargers' first win in that gym since Jan. 3, 2009. Hillsdale, winners of four straight overall, is now 9-10 overall and 8-7 in the GLIAC.
The team next hits the floor Thursday night, beginning the second half of its tour through GLIAC South Division opponents, at Tiffin, starting at 6 p.m.
Coming off the epic four-overtime win at Walsh Saturday, the team had a very quick turnaround, going back to Ohio to take on a team it needed to beat to keep its spot in the division standings. The Oilers hit a 3-point shot to take a 49-41 lead with 10:13 to go in the second half. That's when the Chargers shook off fatigue to take over the game.
Sophomore Kelsey Cromer hit two 3-point shots, sandwiched around two more by sophomore Ashlyn Landherr to explode on a 12-0 run that took just 2:59 to complete to turn the game around. Cromer hit another jumper, followed by a layup by sophomore guard Madison Berry to complete the game-changing 16-0 run, which gave Hillsdale a 57-49 lead with 4:47 to play.
The Oilers made a couple more runs at the Chargers, coming as close as one point down with 55 seconds to go. But Berry, Hillsdale's most reliable free throw shooter of late, stepped to the line and made two with 26 seconds to play to give Hillsdale a three-point lead. The game was finished off, appropriately, by junior Megan Fogt with two free throws, to complete the scoring.
Fogt put together her GLIAC-leading 16th double-double of the season, leading the Chargers with 18 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocked shots and 3 steals. Over her last three games, all Hillsdale wins, Fogt is averaging 28 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocks per game.
Helping to carry the Charger offense in the first half of the game was junior forward Chelsea Farrell, who set new career-highs during a quick, impressive burst of play. Farrell finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds in 19 minutes of play.
Cromer had 13, while Landherr went 4-for-5 from the field and finished with 12 points. Berry had 9 points with 8 assists in another effective performance.