BRADFORD, Pa. – After battling back in the first quarter, the Hilbert College women's basketball team had no answer for the Pitt.-Bradford Panthers tonight as the Hawks suffered a 99-70 loss in AMCC action.

Hilbert moved back to an even 8-8- overall and 5-5 in league standings after playing almost even with Bradford for three quarters.

The Panthers took the opening quarter 18-16, the third session 23-21 and the final one, when they were pushing to reach triple digits, 29-25.  It was the second quarter where Hilbert fell behind 29-8, which ultimately was the difference maker.

By the final horn, Hilbert improved their shooting percentage to 34.2% and limited their turnovers.  The Hawks scored 32 points off turnovers, bettering the hosts who finished the game with 27.  As well, Hilbert won the rebounding battle 51-42 and pulled down an impressive 30 offensive rebounds which they turned into 22 second chance points.

Bradford remained hot beyond the 3-point line hitting 16 of 28 (57%) for the game.  Ali Rinfrette led all scorers with 35 points (8-of-9 from 3-point land) lifting the hosts to 9-7 and 7-3 in AMCC standings.

A couple of Ashley Repine 3-point plays and a Taylor Corts' long ball carried the Hawks into a late first-quarter rally.  Two consecutive Panther turnovers allowed Hilbert to knot the game at 16-16.  Kelsi Ebert took a ball from the arc on defense and scored in transition and Shannon Rogers hit in the paint with just under a minute left in the quarter.   

But the hosts took an 18-16 quarter break lead and extended it at the start of the second period.  They rattled off 10 quick points before Repine made one of two at the charity stripe.  The hosts hit another long ball behind the arc and built a 30-18 advantage.

Back to back jumpers by Alayna DeFazio cut the score twice to a 10-point spread but Bradford went on a 7-0 run forcing a Hilbert timeout as the Hawks trailed 39-22. Repine found two points in the paint to finish Hilbert's first half scoring with Bradford taking a 47-24 lead by intermission.

Hilbert struggled offensively hitting 27% of their shots and coughed the ball up 17 times which Bradford turned into 21 points off turnovers.  The Panthers sank 7-of-16 shots beyond the arc, converting 47% of their shots from the field.  Repine posted nine points and seven rebounds while Ebert led with three assists.

Shannon Rogers scored eight points in the third stanza but as a team, Hilbert went 4-for-11 at the foul line and couldn't slice any closer than 25 points by the start of the 4th quarter.

Emily Gawlak opened the final quarter knocking down two jumpers and Crystle Marion hit both her free throws narrowing the gap to 19 points at 7:52 before the Panthers strung together a 5-0 run to put the game back out of reach.

Repine posted her career high 18 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and three blocks.  She had help in the paint from Rogers who added 11 points and 10 offensive rebounds (0 defensive).  

Gawlak chipped in 14 points, three steals and three assists while Corts was credited with 12 points.  Ebert chalked up seven points, led the team with four steals and added three assists.

Hilbert returns to the Hafner Recreation Center this weekend when they welcome Penn State Altoona in a 1pm tip January 21.