The Hillsdale College women's basketball team continued to turn over a new leaf in the 2021-22 season, stunning defending G-MAC Champion Cedarville late in a 80-74 road win on Saturday.
The Chargers led throughout the contest and built a 70-60 lead with 4:56 to play, but conceded a 14-2 run to the experienced and talented Yellowjackets that gave Cedarville a 74-72 lead with 1:26 to play and conjured up memories of past fourth quarter collapses by Hillsdale in winnable games in 2020-21.
This time, however, the Chargers decisively showed they aren't the same team as last year, outscoring Cedarville 8-0 in the final minute and 25 seconds of the game with stifling defense. Two freshmen connected on the shot that put Hillsdale ahead for good, as Peighton Nelson found Caitlin Splain in the corner for Splain's fourth 3-pointer of the game with 1:02 to play.
In the Yellowjackets' final four possessions after Splain's made 3-pointer, Hillsdale held Cedarville to three missed shots and a turnover, and Splain and fellow freshman Carly Callahan combined to go 5 of 6 from the line to put the game away.
While Hillsdale needed a late rally to win, the victory wasn't a fluke. The Chargers led for 70 percent of the game, including almost all of the second half, thanks to an excellent shooting performance. Hillsdale was 45.8% from the floor and an excellent 43.5% from the 3-point line to stay ahead of the high-scoring Yellowjackets, who entered Saturday's contest second in the G-MAC in points per game.
The freshmen made plays late to seal the win for Hillsdale, but it was undoubtedly senior Grace Touchette who got the Chargers to that point. Touchette tied her career high with 24 points on 69.2% shooting from the floor and 50% from 3-point range to pace the Charger offense. Junior Sydney Mills chipped in 11 points and 16 rebounds as well.
Splain had another huge game off the bench for the Chargers, finishing with 15 points on 4 of 6 shooting from deep. Nelson added 10 points, six assists and five rebounds along with excellent defense on Cedarville's star guard, Emily Chapman, in the closing seconds. Sophomore Dani Salenbien chipped in nine points and five assists.
At 5-4 overall, Hillsdale is above .500 for the first time since the 2018-19 season, and at 3-1 overall, are now in a three-way tie for third in the G-MAC and firmly in the race for one of the six spots in the 2021-22 G-MAC Tournament with Christmas Break looming. The Chargers will play Davenport in a non-conference contest on Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. at home for its final game before Christmas.
Photo by Mark Pierce