Women’s basketball team defeats Kalamazoo, 61-47

Sophomore Olivia Yarrell (Lansing/Sexton) scored a game-high 17 points to lead the Olivet College women's basketball team to a 61-47 win over Kalamazoo College tonight at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. In addition to Yarrell, junior Kaitlin Oleksyn (Kalamazoo/Parchment) scored 13 points and senior Gabrielle Federau (Okemos) grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

Olivet led for all except for the first minute, 44 seconds. After Kalamazoo scored the first basket of the game, junior Stephanie Spehar (South Lyon) scored five straight points to start a 17-2 run over the next six minutes. The Comets built their lead to as many as 14 points twice with the last time being 24-10 at the 8:24 mark. The Hornets came back with an 11-2 run to trim their deficit to five points before Olivet ended the half with seven straight points to take a 33-21 lead into the locker rooms. The Comets' lead stayed in double figures for the rest of the game, and grew to 17 points four times.

For the game, Olivet shot 39 percent (23-of-59) to 28.6 percent (14-of-49) for the Hornets. The Comets also out-rebounded Kalamazoo, 46-33. Individually, Yarrell made 8-of-15 shots and one free throw for her 17 points. Oleksyn was 5-for-10 from the floor and 3-of-5 from the charity stripe. Nine of Federau's rebounds came off the defensive glass. Off the bench, junior Caitlin Thilo (Onondaga/Eaton Rapids) dished out a game-high four assists.

Andrea Bedway was the only Hornet in double figures, as she scored 13 points, including 7-of-8 shooting from the free throw line.

Olivet will host MIAA-leader Hope College Saturday at 3 p.m.