HAMPTON, Va. (Jan. 26, 2024) … Hampton's game with Monmouth seemed like a mismatch. The Lady Pirates came into the contest with a 1-14 record and the Hawks were 10-6 winners of eight of their last 10 games.

But the Lady Pirates played on even terms throughout the contest --- leading for long stretches --- before coming up just short, 69-61, in the final few minutes. Monmouth made its free throws down the stretch and Hampton missed eight of its last nine shots from the field as the Hawks outscored Hampton, 25-15, in the final quarter.

Trailing throughout much of the first two quarters, Camryn Hill scored 13 of her team-high 17 points in the second half to keep the Lady Pirates close. The opportunistic Hampton defense forced 16 Hawk turnovers turning them into 15 points and the Lady Pirates were tough inside with 34 points in the paint.

In addition to Hill's 17 points, Janae Dublin tallied 14 for the Lady Pirates. Monmouth was led by Jania Hall with 15 points. Teammates Kaci Donovan (14) and Sandrine Clesca (10) also scored double figures.

Both teams were tentative out of the starting gate, missing the first five shots of the game. Monmouth scored first and led, 16-7, with 5:25 left in the opening quarter. During the run, the Hawks converted seven straight shots. But the Hawks cooled off, making just one of their last eight shots from the field. Hampton trailed 24-19 after battling back and converting three free throws to end the quarter.

The Lady Pirates stayed close in the second quarter and closed to 27-25 after a Cheyenne Talbot lay-up. A three-pointer upped the Hawk's lead at five but a 7-0 by the Lady Pirates gave Hampton its first lead of the game. A Le'Asia Foreman basket followed by a Tyra Kennedy steal, basket and free throw put Hampton ahead, 32-30. Hampton led, 33-32, at intermission as Monmouth made just one of its final eight shots.

Hampton turned the ball over just once in the first half and Monmouth managed just 23.1 percent shooting from the field. The Hawks dominated the boards, outrebounding Hampton, 28-11, in the first half.

Ariana Vanderloop made two of three free throws to open the third quarter and give the Hawks a 34-33 edge. A Monmouth trey sandwiched around two Hill baskets made it 37 all. Hill's lay-up gave the Lady Pirates a 39-37 lead and her three free throws boosted Hampton's lead to 42-37.

Following a Monmouth bucket, Kennedy's lay-up with 1:13 left in the third quarter gave Hampton its biggest lead of the game, 46-40. The Hawks scored the final four points of the quarter to close to 46-44 despite shooting just 18.2 percent from the field. Hill scored nine of Hampton's 14 third quarter points.

The team's traded baskets to start the fourth quarter. Despite back-to-back Lady Pirate baskets by Dublin, Monmouth led 52-50 with 7:11 to go. Hill's two free throws tied the score with 6:58 left. After Monmouth's Kaci Donovan made two free throws, Hill's floater made it 54-54. But Hampton struggled in the fourth quarter, connecting on just 4-of-14 shots from the field while Monmouth canned 7-of-12.

Hampton hosts Hofstra at the Hampton Convocation Center on Jan. 28 (Sunday) at 2:00 p.m. to conclude a three-game homestand.