SAINT PAUL, MINN.--The Hamline University women's basketball team secured a 67-51 victory over St. Olaf at Hutton Arena on Saturday afternoon, which marked the 2024-25 regular season finale for both teams. Aliyah Wensel, Brittney Draeger, Kate Trachsel, and Kate Van Helden were honored for senior day.

The Pipers will enter the 2024-25 MIAC Tournament with an 18-7, 13-5 MIAC record as the No. 3 seed, and will host No. 6 seed Saint Mary's (Minn.) in the quarterfinal on Tuesday, February 25 at 8 p.m. The Oles conclude their campaign with a 7-18, 1-17 MIAC mark. Hamline has now won 13 of their last 15 games against the Oles, showcasing their dominance in this matchup.

Hamline 67, St. Olaf 51

The first quarter saw the Pipers take an early lead with a 24-11 score. The game began with St. Olaf's Ziling Zhen missing a layup, which was blocked by Kate Trachsel of Hamline. Brittney Draeger then scored back-to-back 3-pointers at 8:21 and 7:25, contributing to Hamline's scoring streak. Yasmeen Abed added to the Pipers' total with two successful free throws at 5:40, following a foul by the Oles' Sophia Kormann. Towards the end of the quarter, Sophie Stork hit consecutive 3-pointers at 1:51 and 1:02, further extending their lead. Chloee Smith managed to score a layup for St. Olaf at 4:41, but the Pipers maintained control throughout the frame, ending with a solid defensive effort as Kormann's layup attempt for the Oles was missed at the buzzer.

During the second quarter, Hamline maintained their lead over St. Olaf with a strong performance, ultimately outscoring them 18-16. Early in the frame, Camille Cummings of the Pipers capitalized on a foul by Kormann, making one-of-two free throws at 9:08. Yasmeen Abed added to the Pipers' momentum with a layup at 8:37, shortly after Joy Brandenstein scored for the Oles. Notably, Anna Rynkiewich's defensive play included a steal at 5:47 and a subsequent free throw, contributing to the Pipers' efforts. St. Olaf's Smith kept her team in contention with scoring, including a 3-pointer at 3:20, but the Pipers' consistent scoring, highlighted by Camille Cummings' 3-pointer at 1:15, helped secure their 42-27 halftime advantage.

In the third frame, each team scored four points off turnovers, with Hamline having a slight advantage in the paint, scoring eight points compared to St. Olaf's two. Aliyah Wensel managed to score a jumper at 8:38 to extend the Pipers' lead to 44-30. St. Olaf's Smith was active, scoring a jumper and a 3-pointer early in the quarter, while also making key free throws at 0:48 to narrow the score gap to 52-40. Despite the Oles' efforts, the Pipers maintained a lead throughout the period, finishing with a 52-41 advantage.

In the fourth quarter, Hamline secured a 15-10 advantage over St. Olaf. Camille Cummings contributed significantly with a layup and a jumper at 8:30 and 8:14, respectively, leading a scoring streak for the Pipers. Ziling Zhen of the Oles responded with consecutive layups at 6:34 and 5:46, but the Pipers maintained control. Yasmeen Abed extended Hamline's lead with a crucial 3-pointer at 2:38, and Anna Rynkiewich added a layup at 3:05, helping to solidify the home team's 67-51 win.

Brittney Draeger led Hamline with three successful 3-pointers out of four attempts, contributing to her total of nine points. Camille Cummings scored a team-high 12 points, shooting 5-for-13 from the field, and added three steals to her performance. Sophie Stork was another key player, hitting three of her four baskets from beyond the arc, finishing with 11 points. Kate Trachsel made an impact defensively with two blocks, while also contributing five points and three assists. Anna Rynkiewich was a notable defensive presence, recording two steals and adding seven points on a perfect 3-for-3 shooting. Hamline shot .464 (26-of-56) from the field, and .320 (8-of-25) from beyond the arc.

Chloee Smith led the Oles with 20 points, shooting six-of-17 from the field and three-of-10 from beyond the arc. She also contributed eight rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Ziling Zhen added nine points, hitting four of seven shots, while securing seven rebounds, including six offensive boards. Bree Wilkerson was notable for her defensive efforts, leading the team with two steals. Joy Brandenstein provided playmaking support, dishing out a team-high four assists.