The Hillsdale College women's basketball team celebrated its two graduating seniors on Saturday by pushing G-MAC Champion Northwood to the limit, but ultimately the Timberwolves survived the upset bid in a 69-67 final.

Despite the loss, Hillsdale's season will continue, as the Chargers qualified for the G-MAC Tournament next week as the fifth seed and will look to make a postseason run.

Saturday marked the final home game for seniors Emma Ruhlman and Payton Adkins, and the Chargers did everything they could to send the pair off as victors one more time. After trailing by as many as 12 early in the second quarter, Hillsdale staged a furious rally into halftime, outscoring Northwood 15-6 to trail just 34-31 at the break.

Hillsdale's surge continued after the break, as junior Annalise Pietrzyk tied up the game on a 3-pointer early in the third quarter and the Chargers took control, leading by as many as six in the period before taking a 51-48 edge into the final quarter.

The Chargers remained in front for much of the fourth but couldn't shake a determined Timberwolves team. Hillsdale took its last lead at 63-62 with 3:29 to play on a Pietrzyk free throw, but Northwood pulled ahead at the other end on a layup and an and-one by Lea Holmes on Northwood's next possession gave the Timberwolves a lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Hillsdale continued to fight, with a layup by Sarah Aleknavicius pulling the Chargers to within 67-65 with 22 seconds to play, but Northwood knocked down two free throws at the other end to go back up by four. Two free throws by Hillsdale's Savannah Smith with 0.3 seconds to go were too late to affect the outcome.

The Chargers played a strong game against the G-MAC's best, knocking down seven 3-pointers to stay in the game and give themselves a chance late. Hillsdale shared the ball well, with 17 assists on 25 made baskets, and committed just 12 turnovers. Pietrzyk led Hillsdale with 14 points and five assists, while Savannah Smith chipped in 13 points, eight rebounds and three assists and Aleknavicius had 10 points, two assists and three steals as well. 

In her final home game in a Hillsdale uniform, Emma Ruhlman finished with seven points and five rebounds, while Sydney Pnacek chipped in eight points for the Chargers and Maddie Smith added six points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. The Chargers finish the season 11-1 in Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena, with only the Timberwolves surviving the trip with a victory on the season.

Hillsdale finishes the regular season at 15-11 overall, 11-9 in G-MAC play, and earn the fifth seed in the G-MAC Tourney. The Chargers open the postseason with a quarterfinal matchup at fourth-seeded Walsh on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. The Cavaliers also finished 11-9 in the G-MAC and the two teams split a pair of meetings this season, with Hillsdale winning at home 60-53 on Jan. 5, and the Cavaliers earning a 72-63 victory in North Canton on Jan. 31.