PAINESVILLE, OHIO – A nearly eight-minute scoring drought in the second half was too much to overcome for the Lake Erie College women's basketball team as they fell at home to Hillsdale College, 51-39, in Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) action Thursday night (Jan. 17).

Leading 35-33 with 10:07 to play, the Storm (3-10, 1-9 GLIAC) wouldn't score again until the 2:31 mark, but by that time the visiting Chargers (6-8, 3-8 GLIAC) had built a 10-point lead and on their way to winning their second straight.

Both teams struggled offensively early on.  The game was tied 8-8 midway through the first half and again even at halftime, 18-18.  Lake Erie was six-of-34 (17.6%) in the opening 20 minutes while the Chargers were only four-of-16 and turned the ball over 11 times.

Hillsdale improved to an even 50% (9-of-18) in the second half while the Storm again had difficulties putting the ball in the basket, connecting on just six-of-25 (24%) in the period. 

Sophomore Jackie Murray (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) led Lake Erie with 10 points while senior Sarah Wojciechowski (Randolph, Ohio/Waterloo) added eight points off the bench – all in the second half. 

The Storm shot 20.3% overall, going 12-of-59, including just five-of-28 (17.9%) from three-point range.  Lake Erie also was just 10-of-19 from the foul line for 52.6%.

Megan Fogt led all players with 17 points and eight rebounds for Hillsdale while Kadie Lowery chipped in with 11 points, all of which came after halftime.  The Chargers were 0-of-nine from three-point range but had a considerable edge at the foul line, going 25-of-32.  That advantage helped offset 24 turnovers and a 41-35 Lake Erie rebounding edge.

The Storm will look to bounce back into the win column on Saturday, Jan. 19, at home against the University of Findlay. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at the Jerome T. Osborne Family Athletic & Wellness Center.

-LEC-