The Hillsdale College women's basketball team fought to the end in a gritty defensive effort, but ultimately couldn't get enough done offensively in a 50-41 defeat at the hands of host Thomas More in a G-MAC Quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday night.
The fifth-seeded Chargers hung in the contest until the final minute against the Saints by relying on a stout defense that has been Hillsdale's calling card all season, holding Thomas More to just 31.4% shooting from the floor and a 4 for 23 mark from 3-point range, and giving up just 50 points, the fourth-lowest total the Saints have put up all season behind two contests against two of the top five teams in the country, Grand Valley State and Ashland, as well as road loss by Thomas More at Ursuline.
But while the Chargers locked down Thomas More defensively, Hillsdale never found real momentum or consistency on its offensive possessions, either. The Chargers made just 14 shots from the field on 26.9 percent shooting, and, trailing 43-38 with 5:30 to go, couldn't find the basket they needed to cut the lead to one possession despite holding the Saints scoreless for over four minutes of game time. That meant the Chargers had to foul with under a minute to play, and the Saints went 7 of 8 from the free throw line to close out the game.
Hillsdale got off to a strong start in the first quarter, knocking down three 3-pointers and holding the Saints to just five points on their home floor to take an early 14-5 lead. But Thomas More struck back in the second quarter with a strong defensive effort of their own, creating points in transition off steals and outscoring the Chargers 16-2 over the first nine minutes of the period to take a 21-16 lead into halftime.
Senior Sydney Mills, who sat much of the second quarter with foul trouble, helped Hillsdale rally in the third quarter, helping lead a 9-0 run midway through the period that gave Hillsdale a brief 27-26 lead. After trading baskets, the two teams went to the final quarter separated by just one point, with Thomas More holding a narrow 32-31 edge.
Hillsdale took the lead briefly with 8:23 to play on a Lauren McDonald jumper, 34-33, but Thomas More scored on four straight possessions to regain control and take a 43-38 edge they wouldn't relinquish.
McDonald led the Chargers with a strong effort, scoring a team-high nine points and chipping in eight rebounds. Despite foul trouble, Mills also chipped in seven points, eight rebounds and two assists, while junior Caitlin Splain chipped in seven points off the bench, Ashley Konkle added six points and five rebounds, and freshman Annalise Pietrzyk knocked down two 3-pointers as well.
The Chargers' season comes to a close with a 17-12 overall record, and having earned the best regular season conference finish in over 15 years. Hillsdale graduates three seniors -- Mills, the program's all-time leading rebounder and one of only three players in Hillsdale history to finish with over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career, as well as bench contributors Dani Hohlbein and Olivia Patch -- but is slated to return four starters and should be a very competitive team next season with an experienced lineup and a strong freshman class slated to join the program next fall.
Photo by Reva Ludwig