GREENSBURG, Pa. – Kelsi Ebert lifted Hilbert College to a 59-58 come-from-behind road win over Pitt.-Greensburg this afternoon in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play.
With the victory, Hilbert (10-13) forced a three-way tie for 5th place in the league standings at 7-9. The Hawks hold the season-sweep advantage over Greensburg (8-15) and face Mt. Aloysius (9-14) in the final game of the regular season next Saturday.
Kelsi Ebert filled the stat sheet again tossing in 22 points (3-3 from deep), while adding five assists. In only her third season of collegiate competition, Ebert became the program career Steals Leader (147) as she was credited with five more today.
Shannon Rogers found her rhythm in the paint as she tossed in 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds which helped neutralize the Bobcats who dominated the glass.
Greensburg did something no other team has done this year against Hilbert. The hosts held a +15 rebound advantage against the Hawks who typically outwork their opponents by eight boards a game.
Hilbert shot 44.6 percent from the field and 57 percent from beyond the arc (4-7). The Bobcats struggled in the first half (34%) but rebounded with a 52% effort for a 41.5 percent field goal performance by the final horn.
Greensburg won every quarter except for the fourth, when Hilbert stormed back in victory. Trailing 14-12 after the first quarter, Hilbert found themselves repeating that score in the second quarter as well. Greensburg took a 28-24 advantage to intermission and stretched their lead in the third (16-13). The Hawks out-scored the hosts 22-14, with the game-winning bucket scored with 7.4 seconds on the game clock.
Kelsi Ebert put Hilbert on the board 36-seconds into the game. Greensburg took a six-point lead just five minutes into the opening quarter. Ebert,
Katelyn Proy and
Emily Gawlak forced a 10-10 score and
Shannon Rogers matched it again the next trip down the floor (12-12). Greensburg got into the paint before the quarter break for the two-point advantage.
Both teams traded buckets and leads through the first five minutes of the second quarter until Ebert connected from downtown giving the Hawks a 5-point lead. Greensburg closed the second session on a 10-1 run and took a four-point lead to the break.
Greensburg never relinquished their lead in the third quarter though Hilbert made runs. Twice Hilbert sliced the difference to one point but the Bobcats responded at the foul line after each Hilbert run. Proy and Ebert each got to the rim as time wound down in the quarter but a shot from downtown gave Greensburg a seven point cushion (44-37) heading into the final period.
Just as Greensburg built a 9-point lead (twice) early in the fourth, Gawlak cut the score to seven before
Emily Speidel's long distance shot sliced it to six (44-50) with just over seven minutes remaining.
Four and a half minutes later,
Crystle Marion knotted the game at 54 to complete a 10-4 Hilbert run.
Greensburg jumped up by four points, 58-54, with 1:35 on the clock and Hilbert called a timeout. Ebert canned a 3-pointer and after Hilbert got a defensive rebound coach
Melissa Graham called a timeout to set up the last play with 9-seconds left.
Emily Gawlak found
Kelsi Ebert in the paint with 7.6 seconds left. Her bucket counted but she missed the extra free throw which gave the Bobcats the ball with plenty of time to do some damage. Hilbert forced a jump ball with the possession turning back to the hosts.
Katelyn Proy stole the inbounds pass to preserve the road win.
Hilbert will close the regular season with a pair of home games next week. The Hawks welcome Penn State Behrend February 15 and will then celebrate their seniors prior to the Mt. Aloysius game February 18.
Emily Speidel will be joined by
Maria Faso, as the only two players who competed all four years of their collegiate careers.
Shannon Rogers and
Kelsi Ebert both close their three-year collegiate careers as will
Crystle Marion who joined the program this year after competing at Erie Community College and RIT.
