HAMBURG, N.Y.  – After falling behind early, the Hilbert Women's Basketball team used a big second quarter to put themselves right back in the game and then played even with Alfred State College the second half.
 
The Hawks simply ran out of time and dropped a 62-59 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference match to the Pioneers.
 
HIGHLIGHTS

Alesia Hamm, the only player on either team to have gone the full 40-minutes, led Hilbert with 16 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, a game-high five assists while also adding one block to the very full stat sheet.
Belle Oakley and Kayla Johnson both tossed in 13 points, hitting 50% of their attempts from downtown, and Kelsey Schlagenhauf cleared the glass for 10 rebounds. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• Alfred State started fast, building a 10-0 lead off a pair of 3-point makes.  They stretched the margin to 14-points twice but settled into a 19-7 advantage after 10 minutes.  Johnson, Schlagenhauf and Hamm combined for all seven points, either from inside the arc or at the foul line.
• Hilbert went on a 18-8 run, pulling within two points (27-25) with 1:34 left in the second quarter.  Oakley knocked down a pair beyond the arc, Hamm connected deep and finished a traditional 3-point play, then she closed the gap with two more buckets in the paint.  Alfred State found their range deep again before getting to the rim with 3-seconds before the horn which set the 32-26 score at the break.
• Hilbert regrouped in the locker room, and after outscoring the Pioneers 19-13 in the second session, they continued to roll in the third quarter.  Johnson's back-to-back made 3's knotted the score 32-all and Oakley's layup score lifted Hilbert for the first time in the game.  After three more lead changes, A-State started the final period with a 46-43 lead.
• The Pioneers thought they had the game won after they extended their lead back to nine-points on two occasions, but the Hawks did not back down and fought to the end.  Maria Spinelli's offensive rebound led to a three-point play and a six-point margin.  Oakley connected from behind the arc again and Hamm finished a possession with a score inside the lane with 35-seconds remaining.  Alfred State came up empty at the foul line with 20-seconds left and Schlagenhauf hit a jumper at the foul line to set the 2-point spread with :06 on the clock.  After A-State made one of two at the charity stripe Mackenzie Catan's 3-pointer was off target and Schlagenhauf ran out of time after securing an offensive rebound. 

GAME NOTES 

• Hilbert out rebounded the Pioneers (41-34) and earned season-high assists (16), and steals (13).
• The Hawks finished the game hitting 35.5% from the floor, 36.4% behind the arc (both season-bests) but attempted their fewest free throws of the season (11) while making only seven.
• Mackenzie Catan and Kayla Johnson each dished four assists while Catan, Oakely and Hamm were credited with three steals a piece.

 
UP NEXT

Hilbert (0-4, 0-1) continues in AMCC action this weekend when they travel to Penn State Altoona for a 1:00 pm December 2nd double header with the men's teams.