COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Dominican Women's Basketball began 2025 with a hard-fought rematch against the Hillsdale Chargers in Alumni Hall, narrowly falling 69-62 in a close contest.

The Panthers faced shooting struggles, finishing 20-65 from the field (30.8%), while Hillsdale displayed greater efficiency, hitting 26-59 (44.1%). From beyond the arc, ODU went 5-15 (33.3%), but Hillsdale edged them out, sinking 9-23 (39.1%)

At the free-throw line, Ohio Dominican excelled, converting 89.5% of their attempts, a significant advantage over Hillsdale's 44.4% performance.

Guard Sarah Ochs led ODU with an impressive 22 points, including 3-4 from three-point range and a near-perfect 7-8 from the stripe. Gabby Stare also made a strong contribution, adding 18 points and securing six rebounds.

First Half Takeaways

Hillsdale Chargers set the tone early in their matchup against Ohio Dominican, taking a commanding first-quarter lead, 16-8. The Chargers shot 37.5% in the opening period, while the Panthers struggled, hitting only 3 of 18 shots from the field.

In the second quarter, Hillsdale improved slightly, shooting 40%, but Ohio Dominican found their rhythm, outscoring the Chargers 16-14. The Panthers narrowed the gap, heading into halftime trailing 30-24.

Second Half Takeaways

Hillsdale dominated the third quarter, adding 25 points while limiting Ohio Dominican to just 14. Shooting a game-high 52.9% in the quarter, the Chargers extended their lead to 55-38 entering the final frame.

Despite the deficit, Ohio Dominican mounted a valiant comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring Hillsdale 24-14. The Panthers shot their best percentage of the game, going 7-16 from the field.

However, their efforts were just short as Hillsdale held firm to secure a 69-62 victory.

Up Next

The Ohio Dominican Panthers will aim to bounce back and secure a crucial conference victory as they travel to Tiffin on Saturday. The game is set for a 1 PM tip-off.