By: Athletic Communications Student Assistant Paige Phillips '23
WILMINGTON, Ohio – The No. 10 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team defeated Wilmington College in an Ohio Athletic Conference matchup by a final score of 66-61 on Hermann Court inside the Fred Raizk Arena.
BW (16-1, 9-1 OAC) was led by sophomore forward Caely Ressler (Napolean) as she recorded 14 points, 12 rebounds, and one assist. Sophomore guard Emily Irwin (Pickerington/Pataskala Watkins Memorial) contributed 13 points, one assist, and one rebound. Sophomore forward Bella Vaillant (Perrysburg) totaled 10 points.
Wilmington (10-7, 4-6 OAC) was led by Jada Pohlen with 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists. Emma Wright added 13 points to the Quaker score.
First Half (BW 29-23)
- The Yellow Jackets got the game started fast with a 6-0 run from Vaillant, Ressler, and Irwin.
- The remainder of the first quarter featured back-and-forth play, ending with the Yellow Jackets leading 16-13.
- The Quakers tied up the score in the second quarter, and then take the lead with a pair of free throws.
- BW responded with a 10-2 run, going into halftime leading 29-23.
Second Half (BW 66-61)
- Irwin knocked down a three to get the third quarter started, pushing BW to a nine-point advantage.
- A pair of free throws for Wilmington with three minutes left in the third quarter reduced the Yellow Jacket lead to one.
- Wilmington tied the score at 52-52 with 4:22 left in the fourth quarter, sending the teams into back-and-forth action.
- With the score tied 61-61, a clutch layup by Ressler with 1:19 left in the game put the Yellow Jackets in control.
- Wilmington was unable to get its next layup try to go as it sent the Quakers into fouling mode. Ressler sunk a pair of free throws to put BW up four with 21 seconds to go as the Yellow Jackets went on to claim the 66-61 OAC victory.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Wednesday, January 25th when they travel to Tiffin to face Heidelberg University in an OAC matchup at 7:00 p.m. in the Seiberling Gymnasium.
