The Hillsdale College women's basketball team battled one of the top teams in the G-MAC wire-to-wire on the road on Thursday night, but a late cold spell left the Chargers a couple baskets short in a 76-72 defeat at Northwood.

The Chargers led early and were out in front for most of the game thanks to an impressive shooting night through three quarters, as Hillsdale shot 58% from the floor and 63.6% from 3-point range with seven makes in the first half. Although Hillsdale cooled off from outside in the third quarter, the Chargers continued to score at a steady clip to keep the Timberwolves at bay, taking a seven-point edge into the final period.

Unfortunately for the Chargers, Hillsdale's hot shooting touch in the first three periods deserted them in the final stanza, as the Chargers shot 28.6% from the floor with just four baskets in the quarter. Leading 67-63 with 5:26 to play, Hillsdale suffered through a four-and-a-half minute long scoring drought that allowed Northwood to turn the tables on the Chargers and build a 72-67 edge of their own. Emma Ruhlman knocked in a clutch 3-pointer with 36 seconds to play that cut Northwood's lead to 74-72, but Hillsdale was unable to get the stop it needed at the other end to get the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead.

Ruhlman led a strong and balanced night for Hillsdale offensively, finishing with 13 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals, and Annalise Pietrzyk added 12 points, six rebounds and five assists. Emilia Sularski chipped in 11 points and Savannah Smith added 10 off the bench to give Hillsdale four scorers in double figures, and Sarah Aleknavicius finished with nine points and four assists as well.

The Chargers did a great job sharing the ball, with 22 assists on 30 made shots, but ultimately couldn't keep Northwood's dynamic duo of Lea Holmes and Maeve St. John in check to pull off the upset. The pair combined for 40 of the Timberwolves' 76 points, and Holmes especially did a lot of damage on putbacks, as Northwood scored 19 second-chance points on 12 offensive rebounds.

While the loss is a tough one for the Chargers, who fall to 4-3 overall and 1-1 in league play, it does prove that Hillsdale is capable of playing an even game with anyone in the G-MAC, even on the road. The Chargers will wrap up 2025 with a non-league road contest at Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, Dec. 20, before heading off for the Christmas Break. Hillsdale will come back in 2026 with another huge conference matchup against a top contender for the G-MAC title, this time taking on Malone at home on Jan. 3.