HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College suffered a 72-56 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference loss to Penn State Behrend tonight in women's basketball.

It was a battle in the paint as Hilbert's Shannon Rogers netted 23 points only to be outdone by Penn State Behrend's Ally Burke's 24 points.  Penn State Behrend picked up their third AMCC victory while the Hawks are in hot pursuit of their first win.

Wyann Jackson added 12 points for Hilbert hitting timely shots in the first half.  She connected on six of her nine attempts and added one steal and three rebounds.  Samantha Heiler tossed in nine points and dished for game-high five assists while picking the Lions for two steals. 

Fellow first-year Kelsi Ebert posted seven points and added ten rebounds, two less than Shannon Rogers 12 board effort.  Ebert was also credited with four steals and three of the Hawks four 3-point scores.

Penn State Behrend held advantages in field goal percentages (43.3% to 30.4%) and rebounding (47-43). 

Hilbert possessed the ball more often than Behrend with five fewer turnovers (15 to 20) and each team finished with 10 steals.

There were two lead changes and one tie through the course of the contest.  Behrend opened with the first score before Rogers tied it up at 18:18.  After the Lions hit twice from the charity stripe, Emily Speidel sank her three-point shot to give Hilbert their only lead of the night. 

Behrend went on an 8-0 run to take a 16-7 lead and they maintained the advantage the rest of the half. 

The Hawks cut the difference to two points on several occasions but missed shots by the home team and Behrend's conversions at the other end created a 15-point lead by 2:45.  Hilbert went on a 5-0 run before half time capped off with Samantha Heiler's long ball with three-seconds on the clock. 

Hilbert scored the opening goal just eight seconds into the second half but Behrend took the 41-36 score to 49-36 before Hilbert responded with two makes at the foul line.  Both teams traded baskets the rest of the way for the final 72-56 score.

Hilbert (0-13, 0-9) returns to action this week at Medaille College Thursday, January 22 with a 6 pm tip.