SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Pipers fell to Gustavus Adolphus, 53-50, in a tightly contested matchup at Hutton Arena. The Pipers recorded 13 steals and scored 18 points off turnovers, but it was not enough to secure the victory.

The first quarter began with Hamline's Camille Cummings scoring an early layup at 9:23, followed by a jumper to give the home team an initial 4-0 lead. Gustavus Adolphus responded with a three-pointer by Ava Westerman at 7:23, tying the game at 5-5. The teams exchanged leads, with Ella Peters' free throws putting Gustavus ahead 7-6 at 4:49. Sophie Stork of Hamline hit a three-pointer at 2:09 to tie the game at 14-14, but Bella Sutch's layup at 1:05 gave Gustavus a narrow 16-14 lead to close the quarter.

Hamline extended their lead in the second quarter with a strong defensive effort and effective scoring inside the paint. Evelyn Wiltrout contributed significantly with a layup at 9:36 and an additional point from a free throw, helping the team maintain momentum. Cummings was also pivotal, scoring multiple free throws and a layup, while also assisting on a key play to Marina LaFreniere, who added a layup with 1:14 remaining. Gustavus Adolphus struggled against Hamline's defense, committing numerous turnovers, which the Pipers capitalized on to close the quarter with a 37-22 advantage.

Gustavus Adolphus outscored Hamline 17-4 in the third quarter, significantly narrowing their deficit. The visitors capitalized on free throws early in the period, with Peyton Stevermer hitting two at 8:09 to kick off their scoring. Despite scoring struggles, Hamline managed a layup by Wiltrout at 6:08, but Gustavus responded with a 3-pointer from Stevermer at 6:42. Anna Goodman contributed a jumper at 4:12, bringing Gustavus closer at 39-34. The quarter concluded with Gustavus trailing just 41-39, following a layup by Bella DeHaan at the 2:00 mark.

In the fourth quarter, Gustavus Adolphus edged out Hamline, 14-9, to secure the win. Kaitlyn Schaefer connected on a three-pointer at 6:24 to give Gustavus a brief lead. Josie Wiebusch responded with a layup and two free throws, keeping the Pipers in contention. With the game tied at 50, Peters sealed Gustavus's victory with a crucial three-pointer at 38 seconds remaining. Despite a last-minute effort by Hamline, they were unable to close the gap.

Cummings led the team with 15 points, converting 6 of 8 free throws and adding four rebounds. Wiltrout contributed nine points while collecting four offensive rebounds. LaFreniere excelled defensively, registering four steals and recording four rebounds. Lauren Cooper added two steals to her defensive efforts.

The Pipers will be back at home again on Saturday, December 6 to take on Macalester, with tipoff scheduled for 1 PM!