#2 Hilbert College earned back-to-back AMCC women's basketball titles on Sunday as they defeated #5 Penn St. Behrend 64-54, in a game that took almost six hours to complete due to a weather-related power outage.
The opening frame started out tight, as Behrend led from the tip, going up as many as seven points (14-7) with just under five minutes to play in the quarter. A 10-0 Hilbert run, capped by a layup and two free throws by Emma Fredo, over the next five minues, put the Hawks up 17-14 at the end of the first.
Hilbert scored eight straight points to open up the second quarter to extend their led to 11 (25-14). The Hawks kept a comfortable lead througout most the second until the Lions went on a 6-0 run of their own, with four points from Ashley Seamon, to close within five as the teams headed to the locker room, as Hilbert led 28-23.
Due to the extremely high winds outside, the La Roche campus lost power during halftime, which remained out for almost four hours. The second half began at approximately 5:00 p.m.
Behrend came out of the gates scoring the first six points of the half to take the 29-28 lead with just over a minute gone in the second half. Taylor Corts brought the lead back to Hilbert, while back-to-back three pointers by Emily Gawlak put the Hawks back up nine. Hilbert was able to hang on to the lead for the remainder of the quarter, to take the 45-40 lead heading into the final frame.
The fourth quarter was much of the same, as the Hawks controlled the tempo and the scoreboard, pulling out the 64-54 victory over the Lions and earning their second straight AMCC title.
Gawlak led all scored with 20 points, while also adding eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Katelyn Proy added 17 points and was named to the all-tournament team along with Gawlak. Ashley Seamon led the Lions with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
The Hawks have earned the conference's automatic bid the NCAA national tournament. The seedings and bracket will be announced on Monday.
2019 AMCC All-Tournament Team
Emily Gawlak, Hilbert
Katelyn Proy, Hilbert
Cara Haslett, Penn St. Behrend
Ashley Seamon, Penn St. Behrend
Dasja Anderson, La Roche
Jen Isenberg, Pitt-Bradford
Breana Kendrick, Mount Aloysius
Paige Burke, Penn St. Altoona