STEUBENVILLE, Oh. – A trio of Hawks produced double-digit scoring efforts as the Hilbert College women's basketball team closed the 2016 portion of their season with a big road win at Franciscan University this afternoon.

Taylor Corts earned game-high scoring honors with 22 points lifting the Hawks to a 62-51 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference victory over the Lady Barons (1-9, 1-4).

Hilbert (5-6) improved to 3-3 and currently sit in 5th place after playing the first third of their AMCC schedule.

The Hawks exploded right off the bus.  Hilbert jumped out to a 19-6 first quarter lead and then tacked on 21 more points for a 40-20 half time score.

Kelsi Ebert's hit behind the arc gave Hilbert a 15-0 lead with 2:49 left in the first quarter.  Ebert added another layup before the quarter break to lead all scorers with 9 points as Hilbert held a 19-6 buffer. 

Only twice in the second session was Franciscan able to trim the difference to nine points, and both times Taylor Corts tickled the twine, stretching the lead back to double-digits. 

Corts (a pair of 3-point shots), Ebert and Katelyn Proy combined for a 10-0 run to finish the half with a 20-point advantage.

Corts lead all scorers at half and Ebert was the only Hawk to see 20 minutes of court time.

Hilbert maintained their double-digit lead through almost eight minutes of action in the third quarter.  The Barons cut the score to a two-point game (45-43) following their 10-0 run late in the quarter.  Corts sank a pair of freebies with 5-seconds left to build a 47-43 score heading into the final session

Rogers and Corts quickly gave Hilbert a 51-43 lead just 80 seconds into the fourth. Twice the Barons cut the difference to four, but couldn't withstand the Hilbert rally.  Corts, Rogers and Emily Speidel lifted Hilbert back to a 10-point spread and the Hawks coasted to victory.

Shannon Rogers was one rebound shy of another double-double as she added 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists.  In only 23 minutes of action, Kelsi Ebert tossed in 12 points and dished for five assists and was credited with four steals.

Corts and Katelyn Proy posted eight rebounds and Proy led all players with a pair of blocked shots (3 steals).

Hilbert returns to action after the new year with a road game at Nazareth College January 4th.