In a critical contest for the Hillsdale College women's basketball team's G-MAC Tourney hopes, the Chargers took care of business on Senior Day, downing Lake Erie 67-59 on Saturday afternoon.
Hillsdale used a huge second quarter to take the lead for good, outscoring the visiting Storm 20-8 in the period to turn a four point lead at the end of the first quarter into a 16 point halftime advantage.
The Chargers locked down Lake Erie defensively, holding the Storm to 26.7% shooting from the floor and 0 for 3 from the 3-point line, and seniors Grace Touchette and Sydney Mills each converted and-ones to help Hillsdale pull ahead.
The Storm made a furious run of their own in the third quarter, cutting Hillsdale's lead from 16 to two at one point, but the Chargers punched back with back-to-back buckets by Mills to keep a six point edge entering the fourth quarter.
Both teams traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter, but a quick 5-0 run early in the the final period that pushed the lead to 11 gave the Chargers some breathing room, and Hillsdale countered every Lake Erie run with a basket of their own to stay in front. A 3-pointer by Sydney Mills that put the Chargers up 65-52 with 2:09 to play all but ended the game.
Mills had a monster night for the Chargers, finishing with a 21 point, 15 rebound double-double, her 10th of the season, to lead the Chargers in the victory. Caitlin Splain knocked down three 3-pointers off the bench to chip in 12 points as well, and Touchette, playing in what was likely the final home game of a stellar five-year career, added 11 points as well.
Junior Dani Salenbien chipped in five points, five rebounds and three assists for the Chargers, and Peighton Nelson added four assists as well. Hillsdale was outshot by Lake Erie, but turned 17 Storm turnovers into 18 points and made 18 free throws to secure the victory.
Along with Touchette, Saturday's win was the final game for seniors Arianna Sysum, Maverick Delp, Macy Berglund, Courtney Krol and Kennedy Pratt, all four-year players who've helped the program rebuild and get back to competitiveness in the G-MAC over the last two seasons.
Hillsdale improves to 15-12, 8-9 in the G-MAC, and is in a three-way tie for sixth place with Walsh and Ursuline in the conference standings. The Chargers' magic number to clinch their first G-MAC Tourney berth since the 2018-19 season is two -- two Hillsdale victories, two Cedarville losses, or any combination of the above and the Chargers will finish no worse than eighth in the final G-MAC standings.
Hillsdale has a tough closing stretch, with all three games on the road, beginning next Thursday with a trip to Malone, the third place team in the league.
Photo by Summer Fields