PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Even with the short bench, the Hilbert College women's basketball team does not back down from competition and today's road game at La Roche was a prime example. 

The Hawks suffered a 65-48 defeat but they stayed with the AMCC Preseason favorites who are currently running a six-game win streak.  The Redhawks pulled away heading into the fourth quarter after a slow Hilbert second quarter.

THE BASICS              

• Final Score: La Roche 65  |  Hilbert 48
• Location: Kerr Fitness Center  | Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Records: I  Redhawks  12-5, 8-2  AMCC | Hawks 5-15, 4-7 AMCC 

HIGHLIGHTS
 

• Ashley Schroeder led Hilbert with 21 points and 11 rebounds, earning her 1st career double-double in her second year of NCAA competition.
• Macy Kisner had a strong second half, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
• The Hawks did not back down defensively and drew three offensive charges from La Roche.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• La Roche dominated the opening possession earning three offensive rebounds before scoring inside the lane.
• Hilbert looked a little frazzled on offense early after committing back-to-back turnovers, but they continued to hustle and play defense at the opposite end of the floor.
• Ashley Schroeder made it a 5-4 game and Alesia Hamm lifted Hilbert 6-5 from the charity stripe at 6:17.
• Schroeder responded again on the Hawks next trip as Hilbert maintained the one-point advantage (8-7) for almost a full minute before the Redhawks went on an 8-0 run, setting the 15-8 score with just over three minutes left in the first quarter.
• Schroeder closed the session going 3-for-6 at the foul line and pulled Hilbert within four points (15-11).
• The Hawks found themselves down by 11 points just over two minutes into the second quarter after committing a pair of turnovers and one foul.  La Roche scored easy buckets off Hilbert's miscues.  
• Schroder continued to push the Hawks; she created space off penetration to the lane, spun back middle and finished the play with a left-handed shot for Hilbert's first bucket in the second quarter (22-13).
• Kisner tossed in two buckets before Schroeder's impressive play the opposite way.  Schroeder displayed  terrific transition defense, got to the block prior to La Roche's sprinting ball handler.  She maintained her footing, held her hands high on defense and forced a jump ball rather than fouling the shooter.
• Kisner finished the play at other end of the floor and inched Hilbert back into the game (23-17) with three minutes till intermission.
• Each team traded scores until La Roche strung four-unanswered points together and took a 29-19 lead to the locker room.
• Schroeder led with 11 points, and five rebounds.  Maria Spinelli and Katie Kociszewski made their first appearance early in the first quarter and they both helped clear the boards with four rebounds.
• La Roche switched their defense to a 1-3-1 zone in the third and forced Hilbert turnovers that were converted into easy points in front of their bench.
• Schroeder grabbed a defensive rebound, went coast-to-coast dribbling through defenders, and scored in transition with a finish at the foul line. Her efforts forced a La Roche timeout with 3:09 remaining and she made it a 10-point spread (42-32).
• The Redhawks went on another nine point run before Kisner finished a 3-point play at the end of the third quarter (51-35).
• La Roche tacked three more points on the score board at the start of the final session before Maria Spinelli scored her first collegiate points at 8:18.
• She and Kisner combined for a four-point Hilbert run (54-39) but the White and Red padded their advantage, fueled by a 9-2 spurt. 
• Schroeder connected from deep and Kisner's back-to-back scores in the paint set the final 65-48 score.

 
GAME NOTES

• The Hawks made only one 3-point field goal and hit .396 percent from the floor.  Hilbert earned 31 rebounds (to La Roche's 36) but gave up 17 on the offensive glass to the hosts.
• La Roche sunk four shots from deep after attempting 20, finished the game with .400-percent field goal shooting and matched the Hawks' efforts at the foul line as both team made nine.
• La Roche's quickness on defense forced 29 Hilbert turnovers which they converting into 27 points in transition.  The Redhawks also built a 23-8 advantage in points in the paint.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Hawks welcome Alfred State College (9-7, 6-3 AMCC) to the Hafner next week in a rematch of the December 18th game.  The women's tip is set for 5:30 pm on February 2nd.