The Charger women's basketball team lost 66-53 in its home finale for the 2019-20 season Thursday night to Cedarville University.
The Yellow Jackets, a contender for a top four spot in the G-MAC standings, overcame a first-quarter deficit to gradually wrest the lead away and keep it from the Chargers.
Hillsdale (6-19, 3-13 G-MAC) opened up hot from the perimeter and held a 17-14 lead after one quarter. Three made 3-point baskets by Sydney Anderson helped key the Chargers; good start to the game.
But in the second quarter, Cedarville played with its typical speed and discipline, generating offense in the half court. The Yellow Jackets enjoyed a 24-15 scoring edge in the second quarter to take the lead for good. The advantage came despite a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Grace Touchette from three steps inside the mid-court stripe.
Cedarville's defense held Hillsdale to 21 second-half points as it built its lead slowly but surely over the final 20 minutes.
Neither team shot above 44 percent from the floor, with the Chargers being limited to 36 percent shooting from the floor. Cedarville committed just one first-half turnover, a key part of it coming back to build a lead by intermission.
Touchette led Hillsdale with 15 points, giving her seven straight games with double digit scoring. One Hillsdale highligtht was the play of freshman forward Arianna Sysum, who came off the bench to get 4 points and 5 rebounds. She showed nice comfort level and activity level despite not playing much throughout the season.
Anderson and Lauren Daffenberg each scored 11 points while Jaycie Burger led the team with 7 rebounds on her 21st birthday.
PHOTO: MaryKate Drews