January 17, 2013 - The Hillsdale College women's basketball team got a little defensive Thursday night.
Faced with another tight contest on the road, the Chargers buckled down on defense and came away with their first-ever victory at Lake Erie College's Osborne Center, 51-39, Thursday night in a matchup of GLIAC South Division foes.
Winners of two games in a row, the Chargers are now 6-8 overall and 3-8 in the GLIAC. The team next takes the court Saturday afternoon against the number-one ranked team in Division II, Ashland University, at 3 p.m.
The Chargers turned in an outstanding defensive effort in securing this victory. They held the Storm to 20 percent shooting from the floor (12-for-29) and their 39 points allowed were 17 fewer than they've allowed in any other game this season. The Storm went 5-for-28 from 3-point territory, and Hillsdale held Lake Erie to just four points over the game's final 10 minutes.
The game was closely played between the two teams throughout much of the game's first 30 minutes. Hillsdale then found a formula that worked deploying a lineup that featured three freshmen and a sophomore throughout much of the final stretch of the second half.
Spearheading the defensive effort was freshman Sarah Theut, who impacted the game with her on-ball defense and ability to jump in the passing lanes. After playing just three minutes in the first half, Theut totaled five points, eight rebounds and three steals in 15 significant minutes in the second half.
On the offensive end of the floor, sophomore Kadie Lowery scored all 11 of her points in the second half and was a key part of the team's ability to pull away late. She made all five of her free throws and collected four rebounds.
Sophomore Megan Fogt helped get the team off and running in the first half, scoring eight of Hillsdale's first 10 points. She finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots, delivering another excellent effort in the paint.
Freshman guard Ashlyn Landherr played a career-high 37 minutes, and had seven points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Freshman Kelsey Cromer was also on the court for much of the second half when Hillsdale pulled away, and had eight points for the Chargers.
Hillsdale outscored Lake Erie 25-10 from the free throw line.