FREDONIA, N.Y. – The Hilbert College women's basketball team opened the 2021-22 season with energy and purpose, but Fredonia State dominated the paint and claimed a 68-47 victory.

THE BASICS              

• Final Score:  Fredonia  68 | Hilbert 47
• Location: Dods Hall, Fredonia State
• Records: Hawks 0-1 | Blue Devils 1-0

HIGHLIGHTS

Hilbert set the tempo off the game-opening tip.  The Hawks built a 21-11 edge in points off turnovers and an 18-2 margin in fast break points, but the Blue Devils outscored Hilbert in the paint (42-20), held a slight advantage in 2nd chance points (19-13), and shut down the royal and white's bench (29-0).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Hilbert's half court pressure defense forced two early turnovers by the hosts as the Hawks opened the game on a 5-0 run.
• Fredonia knotted the game at 8:11 and maintained the lead the remaining 32 minutes of the non-conference game.
• The Hawks trailed 20-15 by the end of the first quarter, scoring nine points from the charity stripe in ten minutes.
• Hilbert continued to outwork Fredonia in full court transition defense.  The Hawks forced six turnovers in the first six minutes of the second session, but struggle on offense, hitting only two jump shots in that same time frame.
• The Blue Devils built a double-digit lead (36-25) with less than one minute left in the first half before Ashley Schroeder sliced it back to a nine-point game after sinking her 12th free throw in the first half.
• Fredonia began to pound the ball in the paint at the start of the second half and outscored Hilbert 16-9 before the start of the fourth quarter.  Alesia Hamm and Macy Kisner led with four points each that session.
• Schroeder connected from the field and hit a pair from the foul line pulling Hilbert within striking distance again at the start of the final quarter.
• Fredonia went on a 16-7 run to close the game with a season opening win.
• Hamm scored the final five Hilbert points of the game, hitting a jumper in the lane and a traditional 3-point play in the game's final minute.
   

GAME NOTES

• Hilbert sank 15-of-18 first half shots from the charity stripe, pulled down nine offensive rebounds, forced 15 turnovers, secured eight steals which they converted into 10 points, and their pressure defensive caught Fredonia off-guard leading to 13 personal fouls by the break.
• The Hawks, after scoring only two points off 2nd chance points in the first half, flipped it to 11 points in the second.
• By the final horn, Hilbert earned 20 offensive rebounds (37 total), went 13-for-65 from the field (20%) while the Blue Devils sank six 3-pointers, hit 44.4 percent from the floor and out-rebounded the Hawks by 10 boards.
• Ashley Schroeder led Hilbert with 21 points after going 15-for-16 from the foul line in 39 minutes of action.
• Macy Kisner secured  her first double-double scoring 10 points while grabbing 11 rebounds, seven on the offensive glass and earned game-high honors with six steals.
• Alesia Hamm matched Kisner's 34 minutes on the court and added four offensive rebounds (6 R), ten points and sank four free throws.

WHAT'S NEXT

Hilbert will host their Home Opener Tuesday, November 9 when they battle Empire 8 St. John Fisher College at 5:30pm.  The women's non-conference game kicks off the double-header in the Hafner Recreation Center as the men's team welcomes Alfred U in a 7:30 pm tip.