A hot start has the Hillsdale College women's basketball team entering 2022 with everything still to play for, and facing a suddenly critical road trip weekend coming off the Christmas break.
The Chargers travel to the Cleveland area to take on an Ursuline squad off to a similarly hot start, as well as an improving Lake Erie squad.
Two victories would cement Hillsdale's place in the top four in the current G-MAC standings, and mark them as a real contender to grab one of the six G-MAC tournament berths up for grabs at the end of the season, but it won't be easy against the high-scoring Arrows and a dangerous Storm squad.
Schedule
Hillsdale (6-4, 3-1 G-MAC) at Ursuline (5-3, 2-1 G-MAC) | 2 p.m. ET Friday, Dec. 31 | Jane and Lee Seidman Gymnasium | Pepper Pike, Ohio
Hillsdale (6-4, 3-1 G-MAC) at Lake Erie (1-10, 0-5 G-MAC) | 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Jan. 2 | Osborne Center | Painesville, Ohio
Follow/Watch
Live Stats vs Ursuline | Webcast vs Ursuline | Live Stats vs Lake Erie | Webcast vs Lake Erie | Tickets vs Lake Erie
Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | Ursuline Roster | Lake Erie Roster | 2021-22 Hillsdale Stats | 2021-22 Ursuline Stats | 2021-22 Lake Erie Stats
Projected Starters
Hillsdale: #2 Dani Salenbien, So., G, Adrian, MI/Lenawee Christian (6.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.8 apg); #22 Grace Touchette, Sr., G, Northfield, MN/Northfield (17.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1 spg); #5 Sydney Mills, Jr., F, DeWitt, MI/DeWitt (12.2 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.1 spg); #32 Arianna Sysum, Jr., F, Eaton Rapids, MI/Eaton Rapids (9.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg); #4 Peighton Nelson, Fr., G, Cottage Grove, WI/Monona Grove (7.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.8 apg, 1.5 spg)
Ursuline: #3 Patience Ashaolu, Jr., G, Clinton, PA/West Allegheny (9.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg); #4 Rebekah Green, Sr., G, Jackson, OH/Jackson (18.8 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.6 spg); #5 Madison Cloonan, So., G, Kirtland, OH/Cornerstone Christian (11.5 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.4 apg); #20 Michaela Cloonan, So., G, Kirtland, OH/Cornerstone Christian (20.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4 apg, 2.1 spg); #32 Alyssa Evans, G, Jr., Amanda, OH/Amanda-Clearcreek (14.3 ppg, 4 apg, 1.3 spg)
Lake Erie: #1 Lainey Billing, Sr., G, Columbus, OH/Bishop Watterson (8.4 ppg, 4 rpg); #10 Lauren Flannery, Jr., G, Hannibal, OH/River (7.2 ppg, 3 rpg, 2.1 apg); #12 Abby Matalavage, Jr., G/F, Westlake, OH/Westlake (7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 spg); #31 Angela Fink, Jr., G, Brunswick, OH/Brunswick (1.5 ppg); #32 Breanna Bauer, Sr., F, Port Huron, MI/Northern (10.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg)
Scouting the Opposition
Ursuline: Like Hillsdale, Ursuline was picked low in the G-MAC preseason poll, but has greatly outperformed expectations so far, sitting tied with Hillsdale just one loss out of first place in the league standings.
The Arrows pulled off an impressive upset of G-MAC unbeaten Malone just before Christmas, and have boasted one of the best offenses in the league so far, averaging 76.3 points per game. In their second seasons, sisters Madison and Michaela Cloonan have made a big leap as offensive threats to round out a potent starting lineup, alongside veterans Bekah Green and Alyssa Evans.
If there's one area of concern for the Arrows, it's depth. Ursuline has battled injuries and illness so far and in most contests have used only one substitute, including twice playing all five starters every minute of the game. Foul trouble or injuries could put Ursuline in a tough position, though it hasn't affected their play so far.
Leading Ursuline is head coach Shannon Sword, now entering her 12th season with the Arrows. During her time at Ursuline, Sword has guided the Arrows to two G-MAC regular season titles, two NCAA tournament appearances and a then-G-MAC record of 22 consecutive conference wins. She was also the G-MAC Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2016.
Lake Erie: It's been a tough start to the 2021-22 season for the Storm, who have just one solitary win in 11 contests so far. That said, Lake Erie has been more competitive in December and in G-MAC play, pushing Malone and Ursuline to the wire in close losses in the past month.
Returning second team All-G-MAC center Breanna Bauer gives the Storm a credible offensive threat to build around in the post, and Lainey Billing and Lauren Flannery are experienced guards. The team badly misses junior guard Sydney Wyngarden, who's appeared in just three games so far and with 11.7 ppg gives the Storm offensive punch from the perimeter they lack in her absence.
Lake Erie is scoring both the fewest points (55.5 ppg) and conceding the most points (75.8 ppg) of any G-MAC squad to date, though both numbers have improved in December. The Storm will look to build off a narrow loss to Ursuline on Dec. 18 that saw four players finish in double-digits scoring, a season-best.
Lake Erie is coached by Mackenzie Perttu, who is entering her third season in charge after leading the Storm to a 10-19 record and a G-MAC tournament berth in 2019-20, and a 3-18 record last year. Prior to taking over, Perttu was an assistant with Lake Erie, following a successful college basketball career at Michigan Tech.
Scouting Hillsdale
Picked to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the preseason G-MAC standings after a rough showing in 2020-21, the Chargers have been the surprise team of 2021-22 so far, with a 3-1 record in four conference games and a 6-4 mark overall against tough competition.
The Chargers return four starters from last season's 4-17 team, led by senior Grace Touchette and junior Sydney Mills. Touchette is playing the best all-around basketball of her career so far, leading the team in scoring and placing in the top 10 in the G-MAC in several statistical categories, while Mills has picked up where she left off last year and is once again averaging a double-double as Hillsdale's top post threat.
Fellow returning starters Arianna Sysum and Dani Salenbien have continued to build on promising 2020-21 campaigns this season, while 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.
- Hillsdale is 4-5 all-time against Ursuline, but enter Friday's game looking to snap a four-game losing streak to the Arrows, with Ursuline winning the most recent meeting 90-79 on the road on Feb. 18, 2021. The Chargers have performed better against Lake Erie, with a 13-6 edge in the series, and split with the Storm last season, winning 76-66 on the road on Jan. 4, 2021 before falling to Lake Erie at home 78-76 on Jan. 28.
- 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 and standing out as one of the G-MAC's top players. Touchette is currently fifth in the G-MAC in scoring (17.5 points per game), seventh in field goal percentage (.508), seventh in 3-point shooting percentage (.385), ninth in 3-pointers made (2.5), eight in free throw percentage (.789), third in assists (3.9), fourth in assist to turnover ratio (2.2), and ninth in blocked shots (0.7) 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 181, two 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. Senior Grace Touchette is also ninth on the list with 15 made 3-pointers, nine behind former teammate Jaycie Burger for eighth place.
- While two seniors are working their way up the career list for made 3-pointers, freshman Caitlin Splain also is impressing from deep. With 30 made 3-pointers through ten 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.
- Another freshman, Peighton Nelson, has been a mainstay in the lineup for the Chargers at point guard, starting from the first game of the season. If Nelson can stay healthy and continue to perform, she could become the first freshman to start every game of the season for Hillsdale since another past star point guard, Ashlyn Landherr, appeared in all 25 games in 2012-13 for the Chargers.
- 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 10.5 rebounds in nine games, good for second in the G-MAC so far, and also chipping in 12.2 points per game. She had a single-game season best 17 rebounds against Northwood on Saturday, Nov. 13.