The Charger women's basketball team lost a high-scoring contest to Ferris State University 91-77 Monday night at the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena. The loss drops the Chargers to 0-3 on the season while the Bulldogs move to 3-1.
Hillsdale finished the first quarter on fire, leading 27-18 thanks to four 3-point baskets by freshman Lauren Daffenberg. But Ferris State responded with a 39-point second quarter to take command of the game.
The game flipped from a nine-point Hillsdale lead to a 12-point halftime edge for the Bulldogs by intermission. Ferris State's constant and intense pressure led to Hillsdale committing 26 turnovers, several of them in the mid-court area. The Bulldogs kept up that aggressiveness on offense, getting to the free throw line 27 times, making 24 for the game.
The Bulldogs also had a size advantage on the Chargers and held an 18-9 edge in offensive rebounds.
One positive coming out of this game for Hillsdale was the terrific play of freshman guards Daffenberg and Grace Touchette.
Daffenberg scored a career-high 23 points, going 8-for-12 from the floor and 4-for-7 from 3-point territory. Touchette found her shooting touch as well, scoring 15 points, connecting on all five of her free throw attempts. Sophomore guard Jaycie Burger had 5 rebounds and 7 assists.
Senior forward Makenna Ott recorded her 1,000th career point early in the game, making her the 16th player in program history to hit that milestone.
PHOTO: MaryKate Drews