HAMBURG, N.Y. – The Hilbert College women's basketball team pulled together for a 64-50 AMCC victory over Penn State Altoona this afternoon to push above .500 again in the win column.  The Hawks used a big first quarter to get off on the right foot and improved to 7-6 overall and 4-3 in AMCC action.

Shannon Rogers and Katelyn Proy controlled the paint and Samantha Heiler and Kelsi Ebert quarterbacked the offense to victory. 

Hilbert dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Lions by 21 (50-29) with 22 additional possessions on the offensive end.

Both teams finished the game hitting 35-percent of their field goal attempts and 10 made free throws.  The Hawks edged the visitors by two in made 3-pointers but faced Altoona's Megan Wheeler who was credited with five blocks.

Rogers got back to the 'double-double' count as she combined 19 points and 14 rebounds with four assists and a pair of steals.  Proy also dished for four assists and chipped in eight points and eight rebounds while swatting away a pair of Altoona field goal attempts.

Kelsi Ebert collected 12 points, three steals and four assists.  She went 6-for-10 at the charity strip with five rebounds.  Heiler shot 75% from downtown hitting 3-of-4 attempts to finish with 10 points and two assists.

Hilbert exploded of the jump ball and rushed to an early 10-0 lead less than four minutes into play.  Emily Speidel stretched the lead to 15 with a long-ball score and Proy extended the margin to 22-5 at 1:53.  The Lions closed the quarter with a 7-0 run but trailed 22-12.

Heiler hit back-to-back 3's in the second quarter to give the Hawks an 18-point advantage before Wyann Jackson scored her fourth point of the quarter which set the half time score at 40-20.

The closest Altoona got in the third period was 43-28 thanks to a pair of made free throws.  And when Proy converted an offensive rebound into two more points, Hilbert jumped back to a 54-39 lead to start the final quarter. 

Ebert and Speidel combined for the five-point run Hilbert made to gain their largest lead (59-35) at 7:17 and they coasted from there.  Altoona did close the game with a 6-2 run to cut the margin of victory to 14 points.

The Hawks have a few days off from competition but they will prepare for their final non-conference match of the season when they host Alfred State College January 13 with an 8 pm tip.