Posted: Feb 28, 2015
BEREA, Ohio – Sophomore guard Sydney Clark (Parma/ Lake Ridge Academy) and senior two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference forward Audrey Smolik (Strongsville) combined for 28 points as the Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team defeated rival Capital University, 50-46, in the 2015 OAC Championship Game in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center. With its win, BW advances to next week's NCAA Division III National Tournament.
BW (22-6) swept Capital this season in its three games versus the Crusaders and won its sixth OAC Tournament title. The Yellow Jackets were led by Clark's game-high 15 points and earned OAC All-Tournament team honors. Smolik scored 13 and had a game-high nine rebounds to claim the Most Valuable Player award. Capital (17-11) was led by junior guard Jenna Erwin's 14 points. Erwin and senior guard Shelby Sheets joined Clark, Smolik, John Carroll University sophomore forward Kaitlin Spahar and Ohio Northern University forward Jordan Kimes on the all-tourney squad.
With her 13 points today, Smolik surpassed BW Hall of Famer Erika Schultz (2000-2004) and moved into 10th place on the all-time scoring list with 1,065 career points. In addition, the win also was the 510th in the 25-year career of Head Coach Cheri Harrer (510-185).
In the first half, the Yellow Jackets took and early, 4-0 lead at 18:38 when sophomore forward Clara Lemmon (Louisville) made a jump shot. The lead grew to 12-4 at 11:19 when Clark made a jumper.
After Capital closed its deficit to 12-8 at 10:33, BW outscored the Crusaders 13-5 to take its largest lead at 25-13 with 54 seconds left before the intermission when Clark made a jumper. BW also led at halftime, 25-15.
In the second half, after Capital cut BW's lead to 25-17 at 19:30, the Jackets scored five straight points and took a 30-17 advantage at 17:38 when senior All-OAC guard Shari Mangas (Leipsic) made a three-pointer. Capital responded with a 6-0 run to make it 30-23 at 14:35 when Erwin made a layup.
BW's lead grew to 44-32 at 7:31 when junior forward Alissa Munro (Mansfield/ Lexington) made a jumper. Capital scored five straight points to cut its deficit to 44-37 at 5:48 when Sheets made a layup, was fouled and made the free throw to complete the three-point play.
Capital continued to pressure the Yellow Jackets and closed its deficit to 47-44 with 1:26 left when junior guard Nina Napolitano made a layup. After a pair of BW possessions which resulted in a turnover, Capital misfired on its next possession and was forced to foul. First sophomore point guard Mackenzie Colombo (Strasburg) made one of two with 12 seconds left to make it 48-44, and when she missed the second, Clark grabbed the rebound and was fouled. She calmly knocked down her two shots for a 50-44 lead with 9.9 seconds left. A Capital layup ended the scoring.
The teams and sites for the 2015 NCAA Division III National Tournament will be announced on Monday.
BW (22-6) swept Capital this season in its three games versus the Crusaders and won its sixth OAC Tournament title. The Yellow Jackets were led by Clark's game-high 15 points and earned OAC All-Tournament team honors. Smolik scored 13 and had a game-high nine rebounds to claim the Most Valuable Player award. Capital (17-11) was led by junior guard Jenna Erwin's 14 points. Erwin and senior guard Shelby Sheets joined Clark, Smolik, John Carroll University sophomore forward Kaitlin Spahar and Ohio Northern University forward Jordan Kimes on the all-tourney squad.
With her 13 points today, Smolik surpassed BW Hall of Famer Erika Schultz (2000-2004) and moved into 10th place on the all-time scoring list with 1,065 career points. In addition, the win also was the 510th in the 25-year career of Head Coach Cheri Harrer (510-185).
In the first half, the Yellow Jackets took and early, 4-0 lead at 18:38 when sophomore forward Clara Lemmon (Louisville) made a jump shot. The lead grew to 12-4 at 11:19 when Clark made a jumper.
After Capital closed its deficit to 12-8 at 10:33, BW outscored the Crusaders 13-5 to take its largest lead at 25-13 with 54 seconds left before the intermission when Clark made a jumper. BW also led at halftime, 25-15.
In the second half, after Capital cut BW's lead to 25-17 at 19:30, the Jackets scored five straight points and took a 30-17 advantage at 17:38 when senior All-OAC guard Shari Mangas (Leipsic) made a three-pointer. Capital responded with a 6-0 run to make it 30-23 at 14:35 when Erwin made a layup.
BW's lead grew to 44-32 at 7:31 when junior forward Alissa Munro (Mansfield/ Lexington) made a jumper. Capital scored five straight points to cut its deficit to 44-37 at 5:48 when Sheets made a layup, was fouled and made the free throw to complete the three-point play.
Capital continued to pressure the Yellow Jackets and closed its deficit to 47-44 with 1:26 left when junior guard Nina Napolitano made a layup. After a pair of BW possessions which resulted in a turnover, Capital misfired on its next possession and was forced to foul. First sophomore point guard Mackenzie Colombo (Strasburg) made one of two with 12 seconds left to make it 48-44, and when she missed the second, Clark grabbed the rebound and was fouled. She calmly knocked down her two shots for a 50-44 lead with 9.9 seconds left. A Capital layup ended the scoring.
The teams and sites for the 2015 NCAA Division III National Tournament will be announced on Monday.
