Women’s Basketball: Olivet defeated by Trine, 55-40

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet women's basketball team finished the first half of its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) schedule with a 55-40 loss to Trine (Ind.) University tonight at the Cutler Event Center.

• Final Score: Trine 55, Olivet 40
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 6-11 overall, 3-5 MIAA; Trine 13-4 overall, 7-1 MIAA

• There was not much scoring in the first quarter. Olivet led 4-0 at the 6:55 mark. The Thunder scored the next four points over a 36-second span. The Comets went ahead 6-4 when sophomore Kinsley Hatfield made a layup with 3:15 left in the opening quarter. Trine drained four free throws in the final 34 seconds of the quarter to lead 8-6 at the start of the second quarter.
• Olivet quickly tied the game at 8-8 when freshman Christina Malackanic made a layup just seven seconds into the second period. The Thunder responded with six straight points to gup 14-8. The Comets countered with two baskets by freshman Anna Honnen to cut their deficit to two points, 14-12, with 4:24 remaining until halftime. Olivet made it a two-point game one more time at 15-13. Trine stretched its lead to five points, 18-13, before two baskets for the Comets made the score 18-17 at halftime.
• To start the third quarter, the teams traded free throws to make the score 20-19. Olivet responded with a 7-2 run to take a 26-22 lead at the 7:02 mark. The Thunder went on a 12-2 spurt, but a layup by senior Lily Connelly trimmed the Comets' deficit down to four points, 34-30, to begin the final quarter. Trine out-scored Olivet, 21-10, to create its final 15-point margin of victory.
• For the game, the Comets made two more baskets, 27 to 25, had a higher field goal percentage, 34.0 to 27.8, and outrebounded the Thunder, 40-37. The difference in the game was Trine drained 21-of-35 free throws compared to 4-of-13 for Olivet.

• Honnen was Olivet's leading scorer with eight points.
• Hatfield contributed seven points.
• Senior Julia Decker tallied six points and grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds.
• Freshman Savannah Brewer dished out four assists.

• Olivet welcomes Hope College to the Cutler Athletic Complex on Saturday. Tip-off is at 3 p.m.