ST. PAUL, Minn. -- For three-quarters-plus Saturday afternoon (Jan. 20), the College of Saint Benedict basketball team was in control of its MIAC matchup against Hamline.
 
The last six minutes of play, though, were another story. And it was that final chapter that told the story as the Pipers rallied for a 54-51 victory at Hutton Arena by closing on a 13-3 run for the win. With the setback, CSB dropped to 9-7 overall with a 7-5 mark in the MIAC which places them in a tie with Bethel for fourth place.
 
After CSB senior Lydia Hay hit a free throw with 6:13 to play to put the Bennies on top by seven (48-41), CSB did not score again until a free throw by Hay with 2:00 remaining - a stretch of 4:13.
 
During that time, Hamline sophomore Camille Cummings hit a 3-pointer to cut the gap to 48-44 and first-year Lauren Cooper hit another to shave the gap to 48-47. A lay-up by Cummings gave the Pipers the lead at 49-48 before Hay's free throw tied the score.
 
Cummings - who finished with 11 points - hit another 3-pointer and senior Lydia Lecher followed with a long jumper with 24 seconds to play. CSB had two chances with the ball in the final moments, but each time a 3-pointer fell short. 
 
CSB led, 16-13, after the first quarter but Hamline had a 13-10 advantage in the second quarter to draw even at 26. Morgan Chmielewski's three just before half helped the Bennies forge a tie. Then, CSB had a 13-9 advantage in the third quarter for a 39-35 lead. Hamline outscored the Bennies, 19-12, in the final quarter to pick up the MIAC win.
 
"I was really pleased with how we executed defensively overall," said CSB coach Mike Durbin, whose team will travel to Macalester on Saturday, Jan. 27. "I thought we tied them up nicely much of the game. But we didn't rebound the way we did at home (in an 84-59 win over St. Mary's last Wednesday) and we missed too many lay-ups. "They hit the shots when they needed them," said Durbin.
 
Senior Carla Meyer led CSB with 11 points and eight rebounds. With her point total, Meyer, who hit 5-of-13 shots from the field, now has 1,075 career points, which places her in a tie for 13^th all-time at CSB with Jill Literski (1992-96). Meyer had her 63^rd double-digit scoring game.  
 
Sophomore Kira Young also finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. For Young, she had her 10^th double digit scoring game. Hay added nine points and four rebounds while junior Sophia Jonas finished with eight points as she had a pair of three-pointers, Jonas, who now has 171 threes in her career, led CSB with five assists and added a steal and a blocked shot.
 
Overall, CSB made just 18-of-52 field goals for 34.6 percent, including 5-of-22 for 22.7 percent from three-point range. Hamline, which hit 31.3 percent on 20-of-64 shooting, made seven three pointers in 23 attempts but had a 42-to-32 rebound advantage.