The Hillsdale College women's basketball team closed out the year 2025 on a high note, blowing open a tight game with host Saginaw Valley State with a strong fourth quarter at both ends of the floor in a 70-58 victory on Saturday.

The two teams were tied 49-49 entering the final period, but Hillsdale locked the Cardinals down defensively late, holding SVSU to just one basket in the final seven and a half minutes of the game to pull away.

The Chargers trailed 56-52 in the fourth after back-to-back baskets by the Cardinals, but Annalise Pietrzyk stopped the SVSU run in its tracks with a 3-pointer, then scored a driving layup on the ensuing possession to put Hillsdale back in front for good, 57-56, with 6:46 to play.

SVSU couldn't find the bottom of the basket, going scoreless from the 7:44 mark to the 15 second mark, and Hillsdale continued to pull away behind its strong defense, going 6 for 6 from the line in the final two and a half minutes to put the game on ice.

Annalise Pietrzyk had a huge game for the Chargers, proving she's far more than just a sharpshooter from deep. The talented marksman shot just 20% from 3-point range in the victory but was sensational inside the arc, hitting all five of her two point shots, and consistently got to the line with nine made free throws to lead all scorers in the game with 25 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Fellow junior Savannah Smith had another strong game off the bench for the Chargers, chipping in 10 points, three rebounds and two steals, and her partner at the center position, Ellie Bruce, chipped in seven points, six rebounds and two blocks as well.

Magdalena Sularski added six points, three assists and two steals and Emma Ruhlman chipped in six points and four rebounds as well for Hillsdale. 

The Chargers shot just 4 of 20 from 3-point range against the Cardinals, but prevented SVSU from doing any better, as the Cardinals shot just 30.4% from the floor and 4 of 17 from 3-point range.

Meanwhile, Hillsdale hammered SVSU inside the arc, shooting 68% from the floor on two-pointers and outscoring the Cardinals 42-26 on points in the paint. Hillsdale also got a big lift from its bench in the victory, as every player that saw the floor for Hillsdale hit at least one basket, and the Chargers outscored SVSU 22-5 on bench points as well.

The Chargers head into the Christmas Break 5-3 overall with the victory, 1-1 in the G-MAC, and will return to action in the new year with a huge contest against undefeated Malone, the current G-MAC leader and the 16th ranked team in NCAA DII in the most recent WBCA poll. Hillsdale will host the Pioneers at 1 p.m. on January 3 in Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena.