Women’s Basketball secures first win of the season over Hilbert

HAMBURG, N.Y. --- Carlow University women's basketball staved off a second half comeback to secure its first win of the season over Hilbert College, 63-60, in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference action on the road Saturday afternoon.

Emari Stinnette (Baltimore, Md./Randallstown HS) scored a game- and career-high, double-double 23 points and 10 rebounds. Gia Rosensteel (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem HS) added a career-high 15 points and dished out four assists, while Lexi Ewig (Claysville, Pa./McGuffey HS) contributed a season-high 12 points and three steals.

The Celtics (1-10, 1-3 AMCC) started strong and held the Hawks (1-9, 1-2 AMCC) scoreless for over four minutes, outscoring Hilbert 22-11 in the first quarter.

Hilbert returned the favor in the second quarter, outscoring Carlow 19-17 to trail by nine heading into halftime.

Neither team scored the first few minutes to begin the third quarter before the Hawks broke the stalemate with a trey. Two foul shots seconds later saw Hilbert trailing Carlow by four. The Celtics stayed ahead until a last-minute three-pointer tied the game at 47-all heading into the fourth.

The teams traded marginal leads to begin the quarter, with Hilbert ahead 53-51. Rosensteel broke a two minute scoring drought with a layup to tie the game once again at 53-53.

The Hawks tied the score at 55, and Audry Clingenpeel (Coolville, Ohio/Federal Hocking HS) drained a trey to give the Celtics some breathing room, ahead 58-55 with 2:40 left in regulation.

A layup and a free throw tied the game at 58-all. With under a minute remaining, the Hawks were forced to foul, sending Stinnette to the line where she sank both to put Carlow in front, 60-58.

A Hilbert jumper tied the scored at 60 with 26 seconds on the clock, but the Celtics forced a turnover, sank three free throws and defended against a last-second three-pointer for the win.

Carlow shot 72.2 percent (13 for 18) from the charity stripe, while the Hawks outrebounded the Celtics, 49-41.

Kayla Johnson led the Hawks with 14 points, and Learsi Sabala added a double-double 11 points and a game-high 17 rebounds.

The Celtics host Thiel College for a 7 p.m. game at Donahue Pavilion Dec. 16.