After kicking off conference play last weekend, the Hillsdale College women's basketball team gets another early-season look at two conference opponents who were among the best in the G-MAC last season.
Both Ohio Dominican and Cedarville used great guard play to finish in the top four in the conference last season, and though things haven't gone exactly as planned for either team to start the season, they remain formidable opponents for a Chargers squad still looking to establish itself as a challenger in a crowded G-MAC playoff race.
Unusually in a conference where weekends are usually home or away, this week is a home/road split for the Chargers. Hillsdale hosts Ohio Dominican on Thursday, then travels to Cedarville for a Saturday matchup.
Schedule
Ohio Dominican (1-5, 1-1 G-MAC) at Hillsdale (3-4, 1-1 G-MAC) | 5:30 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 9 | Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena | Hillsdale, MI
Hillsdale (3-4, 1-1 G-MAC) at Cedarville (4-2, 1-1 G-MAC) | 2 p.m. ET Saturday, Dec. 11 | Callan Athletic Center | Cedarville, OH
Follow/Watch
Live Stats vs ODU | Webcast vs ODU | Tickets vs ODU | Live Stats vs Cedarville | Webcast vs Cedarville | Tickets vs Cedarville
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | ODU Roster | Cedarville Roster | 2021-22 Hillsdale Stats | 2021-22 ODU Stats | 2021-22 Cedarville Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #2 Dani Salenbien, So., G, Adrian, MI/Lenawee Christian (6.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg); #22 Grace Touchette, Sr., G, Northfield, MN/Northfield (15.9 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.3 spg); #5 Sydney Mills, Jr., F, DeWitt, MI/DeWitt (11.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.9 apg); #32 Arianna Sysum, Jr., F, Eaton Rapids, MI/Eaton Rapids (9.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg); #4 Peighton Nelson, Fr., G, Cottage Grove, WI/Monona Grove (7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4 apg, 1.9 spg)
ODU: #10 Kennedy Schlabach, Jr., G, Millersburg, OH/Berlin Hiland (15.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.3 spg); #15 Bailey Williams, Sr., G, Dublin, OH/Jerome/Binghamton (12.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg); #22 Gabby Stare, Fr., G, Newark, OH/Newark (11.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3 apg); #23 Brynn Mullet, Fr., G, Berlin, OH/Hiland (7.7 ppg, 3 rpg, 1.5 spg); #24 Olivia Fox, Sr., F, Newark, OH/Newark (10.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.8 bpg)
Cedarville: #0 Emily Chapman, Sr., G, Proctorville, OH/Fairland (14.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.5 spg); #4 Paige Garr, Jr. G, Goshen, IN/Goshen (13.3 ppg, 1.4 spg); #11 Isabelle Bolender, Jr., G, Cedarville, OH/Cedarville (13.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2 apg); #24 Allison Mader, Sr., G, Tipp City, OH/Tippecanoe (6.3 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 spg); #44 Lexi Moore, Sr., F, Beavercreek, OH/Beavercreek (6 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 spg)
Scouting the Opposition
Ohio Dominican: It's been an unexpectedly rough start for the Panthers, who were one of the best teams in the G-MAC last year but opened with five straight losses as ODU has struggled to overcome the loss of 2020-21 G-MAC Player of the Year Angela Troyer.
Injuries to 2020-21 G-MAC Freshman of the Year Gabby Stare, who's missed two of the Panthers' six contests, haven't helped either. As ODU showed in a 61-57 win over Tiffin on Saturday, however, the core of a G-MAC contender is still there, with high-scoring guards in Stare, Kennedy Schlabach and Binghamton transfer Bailey Williams, and an experienced veteran anchoring the post in Olivia Fox.
To get back to where they want to be, ODU needs to sort out its offense. The Panthers were the second-best team in the G-MAC in scoring offense in 2020-21, averaging 80.1 points per game, but are averaging just 57.7 points per game in 2021-22, currently 10th in the conference. ODU is hoping that with more time to get Stare healthy and integrate Williams into the lineup, that issue will take care of itself.
Ohio Dominican is coached by Lynsey Warren, who's had an accomplished 10-year run leading the Panthers, including four seasons of 18 or more wins in the last six campaigns.
Cedarville: On paper, the Yellowjackets have weathered the storm of losing head coach Kari Hoffman and first-team All-G-MAC player Ashlyn Huffman this offseason, with a 4-2 record against strong competition. But Cedarville is struggling with a much more pressing concern – injuries.
The Yellowjackets were already without the services of starting center Makenna Fee and super-sub Anne Wheeler when leading scorer Isabelle Bolender left Saturday's 79-52 loss to Ashland just four minutes in with an injury. The uncertain status of all three players for this weekend makes Cedarville a tough team to pin down.
Even without Bolender and Huffman, the Yellowjackets still have a third 2020-21 first team All-G-MAC player to lean on in guard Emily Chapman, and Paige Garr is another excellent scoring option. Cedarville is still an extremely tough out, regardless of the status of its three injured players.
In his first season as head coach of the Yellowjackets is Jason Smith, who comes to Cedarville off an impressive run at Bryan College in Tennessee, where he led the Lions to five Appalachian Athletic Conference titles and six appearances in the NAIA Division II National Tournament.
Scouting Hillsdale
After a difficult, injury-plagued season in 2020-21, a mix of experienced returners and exciting incoming talent has the Hillsdale College women's basketball team aiming for a great leap forward in 2021-22.
The Chargers return four starters from last season's 4-17 team, led by junior forward Sydney Mills, who averaged 14.8 points and 10.4 rebounds and earned second-team All-G-MAC honors, and senior combo guard Grace Touchette, who chipped in 13.5 points as well. Both players are putting up similar averages so far through five games this season.
Along with those two dependable leaders, Hillsdale also returns two breakout players from 2020-21, junior Arianna Sysum and sophomore Dani Salenbien, who both performed well above expectations last season and have continued to improve this year with more experience under their belts. Freshman Peighton Nelson also has been an instant impact player, jumping into the starting lineup from the first game and providing significant contributions as a distributor and defender.
The Charger bench has been a strength so far this season. Sharpshooters Caitlin Splain and Lauren Daffenberg provide instant offense from 3-point range off the bench, while Maverick Delp and Carly Callahan have given the team additional post depth and energy as well.
Hillsdale is coached by Charlie Averkamp, who returns for his second season with the Chargers this year, along with two new assistants, Brianna Brennan and Brooke Bailey.
Other Notes
- The Chargers were picked to finish 11th in the G-MAC Preseason Coaches Poll presented by Under Armour, in line with their 11th place finish in 2020-21. Hillsdale was picked to finish ahead of Lake Erie in 12th place, with two teams tied for ninth just ahead of the Chargers – Trevecca Nazarene and Ursuline. Walsh was picked as the favorite to win the league, with conference newcomer Ashland close behind in second place.
- Ohio Dominican has a 10-9 lead in the all-time series with Hillsdale, and has won five of the last seven games, including three straight entering this Thursday. The last Hillsdale victory in the series was on Feb. 23, 2019, a 76-51 Charger win. Cedarville also has the edge over the Chargers in their all-time series, 6-2, with Hillsdale's last win also coming in Feb. of 2019, a 72-66 Hillsdale victory on Feb. 2.
- A strong player throughout her career for Hillsdale, senior guard Grace Touchette is having her best all-around season for the Chargers in 2021-22, filling up the stat sheet. Touchette is currently eighth in the G-MAC in scoring (15.9 points per game); eighth in 3-point shooting percentage (.348), seventh in 3-pointers made (2.3), ninth in free throw percentage (.821), ninth in assists (3.4), fifth in assist to turnover ratio (2.0), and third in blocked shots (0.9) despite playing in nearly five fewer minutes per game compared to 2020-21.
- Senior Lauren Daffenberg enters the season already entrenched high on the Chargers' all-time 3-pointers made list. Daffenberg is 5th in Hillsdale history in career made 3-pointers with 180, three behind Jenn Carlson (2003-07) and her 183 made 3-pointers for fourth all-time. The record-holder for the Chargers is Chelsea Harrison, with 237 made 3-pointers in her career. Daffenberg was joined on the list this weekend by senior Grace Touchette, who hit her 136th career 3-pointer against Trevecca Nazarene on Saturday to move past Liz Cibor ('01) for 10th all time.
- While two seniors are working their way up the career list for made 3-pointers, freshman Caitlin Splain is also impressing from deep. With 21 made 3-pointers through seven games, she's on pace for 84 on the season – which would be the second-most in a single season in program history. While there's a long way to go, it's an impressive start to her career at Hillsdale.
- Junior Sydney Mills had a breakout season as a sophomore, averaging a double-double with 14.8 points and a G-MAC leading 10.4 rebounds per game and earning second-team All-G-MAC honors. She's continuing that strong performance as a junior, averaging 10.1 rebounds in seven games, good for second in the G-MAC so far, and also chipping in 11.3 points per game. She had a single-game season best 17 rebounds against Northwood on Saturday, Nov. 13.