ALFRED, N.Y. – The Hilbert College women's basketball team suffered through a first half shooting slump but produced a valiant late-game rally only to surrendered a 58-57 road loss to Alfred State tonight.

Kelsi Ebert battled through foul trouble in the first half, came on strong in the final session, finished with 18 points and led the Hawks with four steals. 
Taylor Corts was steady, producing 11 points, and shared team-high honors with Ebert in rebounds (7) and assists (3) as well as matching her 30 minutes of court-time.

Shannon Rogers and Ashley Repine each went 3-for-4 from the floor along with one free throw chipping in seven points apiece.  Emily Gawlak helped run the team while Ebert was out with foul trouble, playing 32 minutes and she swiped three steals.

Alfred State built a 33-21 half time lead fueled by their 14-2 advantage from points off turnovers (13 first half), 6-2 advantage in 2nd chance points and 20-8 lead in points in the paint.

Corts led the Hawks with 11 points hitting 5-of-7 from the floor.  Hilbert was whistled for only six fouls but Ebert was charged with a pair of those early in the game.    

Gawlak put Hilbert on the board first with a shot beyond the arc.  That lead lasted for six minutes until the hosts pulled ahead 10-9 at 4:05. Neither team could buy a shot until the Pioneers converted a steal into two points taking a 12-9 lead at the break.

Corts knotted the game with a long ball almost two minutes into the second session and extended the lead 30 seconds later.  Both teams traded scores until A-State went on an 8-2 run which built a 24-16 lead with just over two minutes left in the second quarter.  Maegann Mein and Corts each found the bottom of the net before intermission, but the hosts continued to stretch their lead to 11 (33-22) by half.

Finding themselves down by double digits almost the entire third quarter, Hilbert put a push together in the last minute.    Trailing by 14 points, Gawlak connected from deep and Repine hit back-to-back buckets to bring Hilbert to a single digit deficit.

The fourth quarter opened with an Emily Speidel 3-pointer cutting the score to 47-41 but the Pioneers scored on their next three possessions expanding the difference back to 12 (53-41). 

Ebert found her way into the paint for a layup and from there on in, it was game on.

Speidel hit another 3-pointer, Ebert made one of two at the foul line and followed with her own shot beyond the arc cutting the game to 3 (53-50).  Alfred State then connected on a traditional 3-point play.  Trailing now by six points, Hilbert found seven quick points, all by Ebert.  Back-to-back lay ins with an 'and one' just before another trip to the charity stripe gave the Hawks a 57-56 lead with 1:13 left.

Hilbert was unable to score on their next two possessions and after the hosts hit in the paint with 0:07 left, Ebert's desperation shot before the horn fell off the rim.

Hilbert collected 39 rebounds, 18 on the offensive end. 

After the non-conference match tonight, Hilbert gears up to close their AMCC schedule strong.  The Hawks (8-12 overall, 5-8 AMCC) will host Franciscan (2-17, 2-11) this Saturday at 2pm.  They then travel to D'Youville College next Wednesday and Greensburg February 11.  Hilbert will host their final two regular season games Feb. 15 (Behrend) and 18 (Mt. Aloysius) as they continue to battle for a play-off spot.