BRADFORD, Pa. – After falling behind by nine points in the opening quarter, Hilbert Women's Basketball outscored the Pitt-Bradford Panthers the following three sessions to open the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference schedule with a 1-0 record after earning a 67-61 victory.

Mia Aldaya led Hawks with 18 points, hitting 6-of-15 beyond the arc, and LaDasia Leak and Kayla Johnson each reached double digit scoring.  Leak hit 6-of-11 from the floor (14 points) while recording four steals and four assists, and Johnson scored all 13 of her points at the charity stripe.

The Hawks created their offense off their defense in the opening half.  Hilbert forced 22 Bradford turnovers (13 steals) which resulted in 15 points in the first 20 minutes of action.

Leak finished a Johnson steal into two in the paint giving the Hawks their first lead (26-24) with 4:36 left in 2nd quarter.  But Bradford was able to build a four-point lead by the break after connecting on 50% of their field goal attempts.

Hilbert knotted the game three times before taking a 43-42 lead with just over one minute remaining in the third quarter. Hilbert started the fourth quarter with a three-point lead and stretched it to seven points off a Leak three-point just four minutes later.  

Bradford knocked down a deep three-point shot late in the quarter, but Johnson ensured the victory by going 8-for-8 at the foul line the final 47 seconds of the game.

By the final horn, Hilbert's relentless defensive pressure proved to the difference.  The Hawks forced 35 Bradford turnovers, converting them into 32 points, 27 coded as fast break scores.

Freshman forward Bianca Iten anchored the interior with 7 rebounds and a team-leading 7 assists, while Jessee Jonathan chipped in 6 points and 4 rebounds off the bench.

Hilbert (1-6, 1-0) returns to AMCC action this weekend when they travel to Cresson, Pa for a December 6th 1 pm tip off at Mount Aloysius College.