ST. PAUL, Minn. – With just five games left in the regular season, the College of Saint Benedict basketball team hit the road Wednesday night looking to start a winning streak heading into the final week of MIAC play.
The Bennies ran into a hot Hamline team in St. Paul and a tough first quarter led to a 65-55 loss. The Pipers shot 64 percent from the field in the first quarter and went 6-for-7 from long range to take a 25-16 lead they would never give up.
CSB is now 12-8 overall and 9-8 and in fifth in the MIAC. The Pipers are 16-4 overall and 14-3 in the league.
Gabby Martin and
Madison Doran scored to start the game, and a jumper by
Tori Szathmary put the Bennies up one, 8-7, halfway through the first quarter, but Hamline answered with three straight threes to go up 16-8 and never looked back. They added two more threes in the final 3:30 of the first to take a seven-point lead into the second quarter.
Hamline was able to maintain a double-digit lead throughout much of the second quarter, but
Carla Meyer scored on a layup and hit a three late in the second to get the Bennies within seven, 38-31, at halftime.
CSB made just three field goals in the third as the Pipers were able to pull away in the third. Baskets from
Olivia Boily and
Tori Szathmary and a three from
Sophia Jonas made it a nine-point game with 6:40 to play, and
Carla Meyer hit a late three, but Hamline held on for the win.
Meyer finished with 15 points and Jonas added 14 for CSB, which shot 35 percent from the field, including 23 percent from long range. Szathmary had 10 rebounds and three assists. Saint Benedict went 4-for-8 from the line and had 41 rebounds and 12 turnovers.
Sophie Findell was one of three players in double digits for Hamline with 14 points and she also had eight rebounds. The Pipers shot 41 percent from the field – including 55 percent from long range – and went 9-for-19 from the line. They had 40 rebounds and 10 turnovers.
CSB is back at home and looking to gain some momentum Wednesday when it hosts St. Olaf at 7 p.m. CSB looks to get back on track before it heads to Minneapolis Saturday to take on Augsburg.
