Box Score In the end, it was just too big a hill to climb. But the Hamline women's basketball team nearly pulled off a remarkable feat.

Down 18 points at halftime, the Pipers roared back at Gustavus Adolphus to get within a point before dropping a 70-68 decision at Gus Young Court Saturday. Chelsey Bonsante (pictured) erupted for 27 points (including three three-pointers) and Jordan Sammons became just the third person in school history to reach 1,500 career points but the Pipers fell to 5-4 overall, 1-2 in the MIAC.

HU led 9-8 after six minutes of play. The homestanding Gusties then got hot, going on a 15-4 run in the next five minutes to grab a double digit lead. By halftime, GAC had improved to a 41-23 margin and looked comfortably ahead. 

But the Pipers had ideas of their own. In the first 2:40 of the second half, they reeled off 12 unanswered points to cut the margin to six at 41-35.

The race was on for the rest of the afternoon. 

GAC led 66-59 when Bonsante hit a pair of baskets to get HU within three at 66-63 with 1:10 remaining. Mikayla Miller, the game's leading scorer with 28 points, converted a free throw for GAC. Sammons drove the lane to make it 67-65 with 10 seconds left. HU fouled and GAC connected twice to up the margin to 69-65. Bonsante, however, refused to give in and drilled a long three-pointer to make it 69-68 with six seconds left. With three seconds left HU fouled GAC's Maddie Ehrich, who hit on one of two free throws. The Pipers rebounded the miss but didn't have time to get off a shot. 

HU held a 37-31 rebounding edge (Alex Peterson and Sammons led with seven) over the Gusties (who are now 6-2) and shot a season high 52.7 per cent from the field (29-55). Sammons, the league's leading scorer and rebounder, finished with 18 points and now has 1,501 for her Hamline career. 

The Pipers return to action December 30 when they face Crown in a non-conference game at Hutton Arena. Game time is 7:00 p.m.