Women’s basketball team comes up short against Saint Mary’s, 74-62

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team was defeated by Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Saint Mary's (Ind.) College, 74-62, tonight inside the Cutler Event Center.

Final Score: Saint Mary's 74, Olivet 62
Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Saint Mary's 3-11 overall, 2-3 MIAA; Olivet 2-12 overall, 0-6 MIAA

• In the first quarter, the Belles built an eight-point lead, 15-7, at the 4:27 mark. The Comets used a 10-2 run to level the score at 17-17 with 55 seconds left in the first stanza. The teams traded baskets to make the score at 19-19 at the end of the quarter.
• After Saint Mary's made the first basket of the second quarter, senior Logan Kyre drained a three-pointer to put Olivet ahead, 22-21. The Belles scored the next seven points to make the score 28-22. The Comets answered with a 4-0 spurt to close the gap to two points. Olivet would not get any closer for the rest of the quarter, as Saint Mary's held a 40-31 lead at halftime.
• In the third quarter, the Belles stretched their lead to 14 points on three occasions. Saint Mary's settled for a 13-point cushion, 55-42, to start the fourth quarter.
• The Belles pushed their lead to as many as 17 points, 68-51, at the 5:37 mark of the final quarter. The Comets trimmed their deficit down to as few as eight points, 70-62, with two minutes remaining. Saint Mary's scored the final four points to create the 12-point margin of victory.
• Olivet shot a higher field goal percentage – 38.1 percent to 36.3 percent. Saint Mary's made five more baskets, including three more from behind the arc. The Belles outrebounded the Comets 53-38, with a 19-5 edge on the offensive glass.

• Senior Alicia Bullaro scored 12 points to lead Olivet.
• Kyre and freshman Courtney Balasz each had 10 points.
• Junior Rachel Swartz tallied six points, seven rebounds and five blocks. Her five blocks give her 40 this season, which is the third-most in school history for a season.
• Sophomore Zoee Zatarga also grabbed seven rebounds.

• Anne Goralczyk netted a game-best 16 points.
• Devan Buda finished with 13 points.
• Claire Bartz scored 10 points.
• Mary Kate Gareau came off the bench to grab a game-high eight rebounds.

• Olivet heads to Alma College Saturday to play the Scots. Tip-off from Art Smith Arena is 1 p.m. The game is a part of a basketball doubleheader in Alma, as the Comet men will play the Scots immediately following the women's game.