The Hillcrest Academy girls basketball team nearly picked up their second win of the season, but a third-quarter run from Columbus gave them a 32-26 loss.

Yani Gutierrez had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds despite missing a chunk of the third quarter after being hurt. She ended up coming back and bringing the Ravens on a comeback.

Early in the game both teams struggled from the field. Esther Hughes scored the first points of the game, hitting a free throw to go up 1-0. She was on the board again with 4:57 left in the first quarter on an alley-oop pass from Esther Hughes.

Sarah Miller hit a free throw and Gutierrez got a breakaway layup to push them up 6-2. The Wildcats then went on a 6-0 run to end the quarter to lead 8-6.

The Ravens tied the game at 10 with 1:42 left in the half and Hughes gave them a lead soon after. The Ravens went into half with a 14-12 lead.

Gutierrez had to leave the game after being fouled on a 3-point attempt. That put Hillcrest to just five available players at the time, but after a brief time she returned to the lineup. The third quarter ended with Columbus on top 18-16.

Hillcrest trailed 22-19 with 4:48 left and Columbus went on an 8-0 run to take a 30-19 lead.

Columbus played physical and it allowed Hillcrest Academy to get to the free-throw line in the final minutes of the game to try and comeback. Gutierrez went coast-to-coast after a rebound with 2:50 left to cut it to 30-21. Esther Hughes hit both of a one-and-one to make it 30-23 with 1:15 remaining.

The score was 32-26 with 42.5 left after Gutierrez hit a pair of free throws. Columbus missed their next two free-throw shots and turned the ball over once more, but Hillcrest Academy couldn’t take advantage of the Wildcats’ mistakes.

The Ravens finished 7-56 from the field and 0-20 from 3-point range. Sarena Gerber had eight rebounds and a block. Hughes finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

New London 73, Hillcrest Academy 42

New London took a 23-6 lead after one quarter and didn’t look back in a 73-42 win over the Ravens.

Esther Hughes scored 15 points in the loss for Hillcrest Academy. Yani Gutierrez took in 11 rebounds and dished out six assists.

Meredith Blossom and Sarena Gerber had their highest scoring games of the season. Blossom had eight points on 3-3 shooting and Gerber had six. Danae McGaffey scored her first points of the season, knocking both free-throw attempts.

Hillcrest Academy is now 1-9 on the season.