ST. PAUL, Minn. – First year Rachel Kelly had a career-high 14 points, but Hamline University downed the St. Olaf College women's basketball team, 61-52, in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) contest on Wednesday night at Hutton Arena.

Kelly shot 7-for-10 from the field and led St. Olaf (5-5, 2-3 MIAC) with 14 points and six rebounds, while sophomore Camryn Scott had double-digit rebounds for the fourth time this season with 11 and added nine points. Despite the Oles outrebounding the Pipers, 46-36, Hamline (5-3, 2-3)  forced 23 St. Olaf turnovers and turned them into 25 points, while committing only 10.

After baskets from sophomore K'Lynn Lewis and junior Keegan Mulvihill gave St. Olaf an early 4-0 lead in the first quarter, Hamline held the Oles scoreless for over five and a half minutes and took a three-point lead at 7-4 with 3:07 left in the period . St. Olaf held Hamline to 3-for-19 shooting from the floor in the first quarter and 0-for-7 from three-point range, but the Pipers held a 8-6 lead heading into the second period.

Midway through the second quarter, the Pipers went on a 13-3 run and took a 12-point lead on a three-pointer from Kaeli Stayer. With 49 seconds remaining in the half, Kelly finished a layup inside to cut St. Olaf's deficit to nine at 29-20.

St. Olaf opened the third quarter with back-to-back baskets from Lewis and Mulvihill, and got back within four of the Pipers one minute into the period. After Hamline regained a six-point lead, a layup from senior Britta Koenen and a pair of free throws from Mulvihill got the Oles within two at 31-29.

The Pipers went on a mini 6-0 run halfway through the quarter and regained a 10-point lead after Sarah Loken sank two free throws with 3:40 left in the third. With 14 seconds left in the quarter, first year Sophie Olmen hit a jumper and cut Hamline's lead to 45-39 heading into the final period.

Hamline extended the lead to 11 four times in the first 5:13 of the quarter. Two baskets from Kelly helped St. Olaf get back within seven, 59-52, with 53 seconds remaining, but the Pipers held the Oles scoreless the rest of the way.

St. Olaf held the Pipers to 27.7 percent from the floor and 22.7 shooting from the three-point range in the contest, and Koenen had four blocks for the third time this season. Hamline was led by Gabby Robinson with 11 points and five rebounds.

The Oles return to action on Saturday, Jan. 4 for a MIAC contest against Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter at 3 p.m.