In about 48 hours, the Hillsdale College women's basketball team did a 180, and the result was its most satisfying victory of the season.
Coming off a disappointing loss to Lake Erie College Thursday, the Chargers turned around every aspect of their game in toppling GLIAC South Division leader Ashland University 82-72 Saturday afternoon at the Hillsdale College Arena.
With the win, its first over the Eagles since the 2010-11 season, Hillsdale improves to 6-10 overall and 5-7 in the GLIAC.
Ashland is the defending NCAA Division II national champions, and although the team has an 8-7 overall record this season, a win over such a respected and successful program is one the Chargers can feel proud of.
Defense, rebounding and balance were the key to the Chargers' victory. Hillsdale held Ashland to 35 percent shooting from the field, and 5-for-16 (31.3 percent) from 3-point land.
Ashland plays a guard-oriented lineup, and the Chargers punished the Eagles on the glass, outrebounding Ashland 51-34. Eight of the Chargers' 14 offensive rebounds came from junior forward Megan Fogt, who put together her second-straight 20-rebound game.
Fogt was also one of four players to score in double figures in the win. She scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half, and had a final line score of 16 points, 22 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocked shots in 33 minutes.
Her two blocks in the game gave her 39 for the season, which stands alone as the second-most in a single season in school history.
Junior Kadie Lowery has seen her playing time increase of late, and she made it pay off with a big-time ballgame for Hillsdale. She set a new season-high with 16 points, going 4-for-8 from 3-point land. She also hit big shots at key times that prevented the Eagles from building momentum throughout the second half.
Sophomore guard Ashlyn Landherr withstood constant pressure from Ashland's athletic guards, and helped finish off the win. She scored a season-high 13 points, going 6-for-8 from the free throw line. Five of her makes from the foul line came in the game's last 45 seconds.
Sophomore Sarah Theut also put together perhaps her best game of the season, playing with strength and aggression in 26 minutes off the bench. She had 10 points and 9 rebounds, going 5-for-6 from the floor. All 9 of her rebounds came on the defensive end.
Hillsdale plays its third straight game at home next Thursday against Malone University.