In a critical G-MAC contest at home, the Hillsdale College women's basketball team put on an impressive offensive performance, but in the end it wasn't enough in an 85-79 loss to visiting Walsh on Thursday.
The Chargers shot 44.1% from the floor and made 10 3-pointers, leading 63-60 entering the fourth quarter and leading by as many as six points in the final period.
But another late cold spell cost the Chargers in the fourth. Hillsdale led 77-76 with 3:12 to play but didn't make another field goal in regulation as the Cavaliers closed the game on a 9-1 run.
Hillsdale trailed for most of the first half and went into the locker room down seven at halftime, but battled. The Chargers outscored Walsh 25-15 in the third quarter on 55.6% shooting from the floor, led by eight points from senior Grace Touchette, and six points off the bench from sophomore Caitlin Splain.
Touchette had another impressive performance, finishing with 19 points and six assists in the loss, while senior Sydney Mills added a 15 point, 12 rebound double-double, her ninth of the season, and two blocks.
Junior Dani Salenbien continued a strong recent run of games as well for the Chargers, going 4 for 4 from the field and 3 for 3 from deep to finish with 11 points and five assists. Sophomore Peighton Nelson and Splain each chipped in eight points for the Chargers, and Lauren McDonald added seven.
Hillsdale falls to 14-12 overall and 7-9 in the G-MAC with the loss, and sits in the eighth and final qualifying spot for the G-MAC Tournament, a game and a half ahead of ninth-place Cedarville, with four conference games remaining. The Chargers host Lake Erie for their final home game at 1 p.m. on Saturday, an important contest to stay ahead of the Yellow Jackets for that tourney spot. It's also senior day for the Chargers, and Hillsdale will honor graduating senior players Grace Touchette, Arianna Sysum, Maverick Delp and Macy Berglund, as well as managers Courtney Krol and Kennedy Pratt, before the start of the contest.
Photo by McKenna Eichholz