The turn of the calendar to 2019 did nothing to halt the momentum of good play put together recently by the Hillsdale College women's basketball team.
Playing just its fifth road game of the season, the Chargers turned in a complete effort in achieving a 68-51 win over Alderson Broaddus University Thursday night in West Virginia.
The win pushes Hillsdale over the .500 mark for the first time this season (7-6 overall, 5-2 in conference).
A strong start with points coming from across the roster were key factors in this game. Hillsdale jumped out to a 10-point first-quarter lead (17-7) by holding the Battlers to 2-for-9 shooting from the field in the opening 10 minutes.
Alderson Broaddus tightened the game by halftime, and closed to within one point early in the third quarter when it trailed 32-31 with eight minutes to go. But the Chargers counterpunched well, outscoring the Battlers 19-6 over the rest of the quarter to head into the fourth with a 50-38 lead. AB never got within double digits after that.
Although just two players scored in double figures, Hillsdale got terrific balance out of its lineup in the win. Six different players scored eight or more points in the win. That's one of the characteristics of the team when it is playing at its best. The ball is constantly moving, and different players get open for their preferred shots.
Senior guard Allie Dewire led Hillsdale with 15 points, going 7-for-9 from the free throw line. Her speed and ability to get to the rim were factors in her attempting - and making - so many shots from the charity stripe.
Freshman Lauren Daffenberg added 10 points in 20 minutes of action. She went 2-for-4 on 3-point baskets, matching exactly the outside shooting from sophomore guard Jaycie Burger and senior forward Brittany Gray. Gray finished with 8 points and 7 rebounds while Burger also had 8.
Freshman Grace Touchette came off the bench to score 9 and junior center Julia Wacker pulled down 8 rebounds in 16 minutes on the court.
Freshman forward Anna LoMonaco made her collegiate debut in this game and contributed 4 points and 2 rebounds for the Chargers.
PHOTO: MaryKate Drews