The Hillsdale Chargers women’s basketball team played against two newcomers to the GLIAC last week, racking up a loss to Malone University on Jan. 24 and a win against Walsh University on Saturday, Jan. 26.
The win against Walsh was the Charger’s third victory in the last five games, and brought them to 7-10 overall and 4-10 in the GLIAC.
The Chargers had been on the road for six of the past seven games, and finally got to play on their home court at Jesse Philips’ Arena on Saturday.
Being home was like a “sigh of relief,” sophomore starter Megan Fogt said.
“We are more comfortable at home, we shoot better at home, and not having a two-hour bus ride made us so much more comfortable,” she said.
Assistant coach Jonathan Mock said the team played a generally stronger, tighter game than in the past.
“It was one of those games where things came together for us,” he said. “We finally put it together and made the run when we needed to instead of giving up the run.”
Hillsdale was one point ahead at the end of the first half, and kept pace with Walsh throughout the second half. The teams were tied 55-55 with nearly ten minutes to go when the Chargers surged ahead. Hillsdale scored 48 points in the second half, more than any other second half this season.
“We played pretty well as a team,” Fogt said.
Despite some frustrations from foul trouble at the onset, Fogt scored 16 points. Seven of these contributed to the final push for victory in the last four minutes of the game.
Sophomore guard Brooke Borowski played a vital role in securing the win, especially in the second half, scoring a career-high 17 points. That included five field goals, two 3-point shots, and five free throws.
Also carrying a strong defensive presence was freshman Sarah Theut. She scored a career-high 16 points, with an impressive six field goals and four 3-point shots.
“It was pretty exciting, because I didn’t expect it that much going into the game. We lost to Malone, so when we won it was pretty exciting, and then getting my career high was a surprise,” Theut said.
On Thursday, Jan. 24, Hillsdale lost 75-60 at Malone University.
Malone played a strong game from the beginning, shooting 74 percent from the field in the first half. Thirteen points behind at the close of the first half, the Chargers battled back hard in the second half. A layup by Borowski closed the gap to as few as three points.
But in the final 10 minutes, the Pioneers pulled away with a 21-9 run. Five of those points were due to the work of Pioneer Deborah Simmers, who scored the game high of 24 points.
Freshman starter Kayla Geffert scored a career-high 17 points in the fourth start of her college career. In 33 minutes on the floor, she made five free throws, two 3-pointers, and six field goals.
“She’s one of our hardest workers,” Mock said. “It’s just a matter of time before games like that become a little more consistent for her.”
Hillsdale will be back on the home court to host the University of Findlay at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2.
Mock said Findlay plays a tough game, and said the Chargers will have to “be composed and take advantage of our opportunities.”
