HAMBURG, N.Y. – The Hilbert women's basketball team earned a 61-42 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference victory against D'Youville College tonight and moved one-step closer to post-season play.

The #1 Hawks (14-1 AMCC) have benefited from a very balanced and unselfish deep bench this season.  On any night, someone different will be the go-to player.

Emily Gawlak (nine rebounds) and Katelyn Proy (eight rebounds) reached double figure points, scoring 16 and 12 respectively.  Gawlak earned game-high honors with three steals and Proy posted four blocked shots on defense.

Ashley Repine and Kelsi Ebert (six assists) knocked in nine points each while Morgan McNeill added seven.

The Hawks worked for an 11-rebound edge on the glass, pulling down 14 offensive rebounds.  Maegann Mein collected six rebounds in the first half of the game and finished the game with eight caroms and four points.

Neither team could gain any offensive traction in the opening quarter and when D'Youville scored a bucket at the buzzer, the Spartans took a 12-10 lead into the second.

Hilbert responded offensively and shut the guests down defensively as the Hawks went on a 25-4 run in the second session.  Morgan McNeill struck from downtown lifting Hilbert back on top for good in the 11th minute  of the game.  Gawlak posted back-to-back 3's midway through the quarter and Proy and Repine went to business in the paint.

Hilbert forced 17 D'Youville turnovers in the first half and scored 17 points at the other end because of those give-aways.

Hilbert outscored the Spartans 18-7 in the third ten-minute stretch as Ebert hit from deep setting a 53-23 score at the start of the final period. 

D'Youville got in a rhythm at the end of the game and reversed the scoring in the 4th with a 19-8 edge, but by then it was too late for a chance at a victory.

The women's basketball team earned four points in the Buffalo Cup standings this year by sweeping both D'Youville and Medaille in head-to-head match-ups.

The Hawks now focus their sights on their final home game of the season this weekend.  Hilbert will host Pitt-Greensburg in a 3pm game February 10.  The women's basketball team will also honor their two seniors – Jenna Castricone and Kelsi Ebert - prior to the normal pre-game introductions. 

Hilbert then closes their regular season at # 6 Penn State Behrend (Feb 14) and at #2 Mt. Aloysius (Feb 17). 

The First Round games in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play-offs will feature #3 hosting #6 and #4 hosting #5 on February 21 (all those seeds are still up for grabs).  The Hawks and Mounties are already set to play in the semi-final games as they have earned the top two seeds.  The #1 seeded team will host the AMCC Championship weekend beginning February 24th and the AMCC Champion will be crowned Feb 25.

Be sure to stay up-to-date on all your Hilbert Hawks scores and awards by following @HilbertAthletic on Twitter and by liking the "Hilbert College Athletics" Facebook page.  Additionally, fans of the Hawks who have an Apple device can receive push notification from the newly created Hilbert College Hawks iOS SIDEARM mobile App which can be found in the Apple Store and ITunes.