The Hillsdale College women’s basketball team brought home two wins last weekend, boosting their impressive road record to 9-1.
The Chargers, now 10-4 on the season, beat the Northwood University Timberwolves 80-72 last Thursday, making it the first Charger victory at Northwood since 2012. Head coach Claudette Charney called this game “a key matchup” and said her team’s solid defense led to the win.
After falling behind early in the game 17-12, the Chargers improved their rebounding and began to press their opponent, turning the game around to enter halftime with a 14-point lead.
Charney said her players maintained control well, limiting the Timberwolves’ perimeter shooters and also stopping the inside shot. The Chargers outrebounded Northwood 42-31, led by senior Kadie Lowery who grabbed 11 rebounds.
Senior Megan Fogt also played an impressive game. She scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked four shots. For her performance, Fogt was named the North Division GLIAC Player of the Week for the second time this season.
On Saturday, the Chargers arrived in Sault St. Marie with momentum, helping them win 59-54 against Lake Superior State University.
Sophomore Morgan Blair led the Chargers in scoring with 17 points. Seven of these points were crucial free throws in the last two minutes of the game.
“Morgan has been very steady,” Charney said. “She makes adjustments during the game defensively, and is very good shooting from the perimeter as well as driving to the basket.”
Though the Chargers had less rebounds and shot slightly less accurately than the Lakers, sophomore Morgan Blair said her team stayed calm at the end, which allowed them to snag the win.
Fogt had another powerful game, scoring 16 points and junior Kelsey Cromer drained two 3-pointers and scored 10 points.
The Chargers allowed the Lakers to make 11 three-point shots as they struggled to defend the arc, something that sophomore Becca Scherting identified as her team’s weakness. She said it is something they will need to work on in practice before the team’s double home games this weekend.
Tonight at 6 p.m. the Chargers will face the Michigan Technological University Huskies (13-1), who are currently leading the league with Wayne State University.
“We will have to defend very well because they’re a very defensive team. That’s what they thrive on,” Charney said.
The Chargers will play again at home this Saturday at 1 p.m. against the Northern Michigan University Wildcats (8-6).
Charney expects to see a shallower bench from the Wildcats, composed of physically big players and guards who will be tough to defend.
Charney said her team’s versatility has been useful, as the Chargers’ bench has outscored most of their opponent’s benches thus far.
“That’s big especially down the stretch where teams are not as deep, we can utilize our players a little bit better,” Charney said.
Blair and Scherting agreed that the team’s road game has been stronger than their play at home. They hope to turn that around this weekend in Hillsdale’s Dawn Tibbets Potter Arena.
“We really want to get a win on the Hillsdale court, because we haven’t done that in a while,” Scherting said.