HILLSDALE, MI - An early Hillsdale lead was too much for the Kentucky Wesleyan Women's Basketball team to overcome on Saturday, as they fell 73-68 in Michigan. The Chargers scored on their opening possession and didn't look back, never trailing in the contest. 

Hillsdale improves to 9-8 (5-4 G-MAC), while Wesleyan falls to 11-4 (6-3 G-MAC). 

Up 6-4 early, Hillsdale went on an 8-0 run that took up nearly seven minutes of game time, leading 14-4 late in the opening quarter. A last second Jordyn Barga layup made it a 14-6 Charger lead after one. 

Hillsdale kept firing on all cylinders early in the second, eventually taking a 22-8 lead over the visiting Panthers. Buckets from Jordan Gillies and Emmy Ralph cut into the Hillsdale lead, and a Corina Conley layup with 3:33 remaining in the half made it just a five-point game (28-23). The teams went back-and-forth over the final few minutes before another Conley layup put Wesleyan down just four (33-29) heading into the break. 

The Panthers were within striking distance of Hillsdale the entire third quarter, as an early Ralph layup made it just a one point game, and a Mariah Jones layup 1:51 remaining in the third tied the game at 48-48. Wesleyan couldn't get over the hump, however, as Hillsdale made their final two shots of the quarter to lead 53-50 going into the final 10 minutes of play. 

Kentucky Wesleyan cut the Hillsdale lead to five multiple times in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't meant to be, as the Chargers held on to take this one 73-68. 

This win snaps a 10-game win streak for the Panthers over Hillsdale, as they hadn't fallen to their rivals from up north since January 25th, 2018. 

Wesleyan shot 25-63 (39.7%) from the field and just 5-24 (20.8%) from three. Hillsdale 23-69 (33.3%) from the field and 9-29 (31%) from three. Hillsdale won the game thanks to their rebounding, as they won that battle 48-33, including a 19-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. Those rebounds led to 24 second chance points for the home side, while Wesleyan managed just seven. 

Emmy Ralph led the way with 15 points, while Jordan Gillies (13), Jordyn Barga (12), and Corina Conley (12) joined her in double figures. Conley hauled in eight boards, while Ralph and Shaylee McDonald led with three assists each. 

The Panthers will look to get back on track next week when they play host to the Lake Erie Storm on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT. 

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