CAZENOVIA, N.Y. – The Hilbert College women's basketball team improved to 2-1 just five days into the 2015-16 season.  The Hawks outlasted Cazenovia College's second half rally and won 56-49 in another non-conference match.  The Wildcats dropped their season home opener in front of 125 fans.

Seven Hawks contributed in the scoring column with Katelyn Proy's 17 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks leading the charge.  Kelsi Ebert added 11 points, eight rebounds and a pair of steals while Shannon Rogers cleaned the glass with 18 rebounds, 10 points, two assists, two blocks and a steal.

The Hawks finished the game shooting 38.2% from the field and made only 13 of 31 free throw attempts (41.9%).  The royal and white dominated the boards (58-35) over the much smaller Wildcats.

Cazenovia, still getting their game legs under them, shot 24.6% from the field, made four of 18 shots beyond the arc and shot 61.9% from the charity stripe.

Hilbert was whistled for 25 turnovers and Caz grabbed 11 steals.

Proy scored all of Hilbert's first quarter points and personally outscored Cazenovia 11-8 after 10 minutes of action.  The Hawks built a 10-point lead 23-13 off an Emily Speidel three pointer at 3:21 and Ebert's and Rogers' jumpers extended the Hawks lead to 14 (27-13) one minute later.  After that, Hilbert went cold from the field and Cazenovia closed the quarter on a 7-0 run setting a 27-20 half time score.

Rogers and Proy (5 blocks) led all players with 10 rebounds each after 20 minutes of action and the Hawks sank 12 of their 28 first half shots but the struggle at the foul line was just beginning.

The tide turned in the third quarter as the Wildcats outscored the visitors 18-9.  Cazenovia earned a traditional three-point play at 1:51 and the made free throw gave them their first lead 35-34.  Lindsay O'Neil scored a layup to bounce the score back in Hilbert's favor, but the Hawks gave up a 3-pointer with 10-seconds remaining in the quarter to fall behind by two points.

Both teams traded buckets the opening five minutes of the final period.  Ebert's layup at 4:43 started a 7-0 Hilbert run which ended with a pair of Proy scores setting a 48-41 score with 1:52 remaining.  The Hawks went 6-11 from the foul line down the stretch and pulled out the victory.

Hilbert fans will have to wait until after Thanksgiving to see their Hawks in action.  The women's basketball team continues to wear their road-royals as they travel to Pittsburgh this weekend to battle Chatham University November 21 and then Elmira College Tuesday, November 24th.

Hilbert returns to Hamburg Saturday, November 28 for another double-header non-conference contest with the men's team against Alfred University.