The Hillsdale College women's basketball team hung tough but couldn't fully overcome a slow start and a late run by host Saginaw Valley St. in a season-opening 81-65 loss on Friday.
The Chargers started the game in a 15-2 hole, but were able to claw their way back to 32-29 in the second quarter after freshman Carly Callahan capped a big Charger run with a 3-pointer. That was as close as Hillsdale would get, however, as SVSU ended the half on a 6-0 run to take a nine-point lead into the break, then outscored the Chargers 23-17 in the third quarter to extend the lead.
Hillsdale tried its best to cut the defict in the fourth quarter, closing to within seven with 4:54 to play, but the Cardinals went on a 12-1 run from there to put the game away.
Senior guard Grace Touchette finished with 17 points, 11 of them in the second quarter, to lead the Chargers, and also chipped in three assists. Junior forward Sydney Mills also hit double figures with 10 points and added five assists and three rebounds, and sophomore guard Dani Salenbien alsoh chipped in nine points and three rebounds.
Off the bench, senior guard Lauren Daffenberg hit two three pointers and finished with nine points, and freshman guard Caitlin Splain added two 3-pointers as well. The Chargers hit 10 3-pointers to stay in the game until midway through the fourth quarter, but shot just 36.8 percent from the floor overall against SVSU's 51.8 percent shooting. The Cardinals also took advantage of a massive 45-21 rebounding edge and scored 44 points in the paint, using their size effectively against Hillsdale's smaller lineup.
The Chargers (0-1) are in action again tomorrow, taking on another experienced and talented Midwest Region foe in Northwood at 5 p.m.
Photo by Anthony Lupi '22