ALLIANCE, Ohio – In its return to Ohio Athletic Conference action, the Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team defeated the University of Mount Union 73-65 inside the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.
BW (7-5, 3-2 OAC) had four players in double digits led by sophomore guard/forward Kara Marshall (Copley/Akron Archbishop Hoban) with a career high 12 points. Sophomore guard Kasey Hughes (Springboro) contributed 11 points. Sophomore guards Tiffany Bentler (North Canton/Hoover) and Riley Schill (Sheffield Village/Elyria Catholic) each poured in 10 points. Junior All-OAC guard Hannah Fecht led the Yellow Jackets with a game-high seven rebounds.
Mount Union (5-7, 2-3 OAC) was led by junior forward Jaime Sanborn with 13 points while sophomore guard Tori Rappach added 12 points of her own.
After a slow start to the first quarter, the bench sparked the Yellow Jacket offense as), freshman forward Sydney Diedrich (Chardon/Gilmour Academy), freshman guard Gabby Garrett (Columbus/Bishop Watterson), Bentler and Marshall combined to give BW a 15-8 lead with 3:12 left in the period.
Mount Union started to find its offense in the second quarter, opening on a 6-2 run. Three pointers and free throws eventually helped the Purple Raiders to tie the game at 24-24 with 5:42 remaining in the half. BW and Mount Union traded baskets before the Yellow Jackets closed off the first half strong with a three pointer by transfer sophomore guard/forward Mary Schentur (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and free throws from Marshall, taking a 32-28 lead into the locker room.
The Yellow Jackets held a slight edge over the Purple Raiders in the third quarter but finished the period strong, scoring 23 points to Mount's 19 and went into the final quarter with a 55-47 lead.
BW had climbed out to a double-digit lead with 4:38 remaining in the game before the Purple Raiders came roaring back with a 10-2 run to cut the Yellow Jacket advantage down to three points, 64-61, just under one minute on the game clock. Both teams scored a flurry of points in the final 60 seconds but clutch free throws from Fecht, Hughes and Marshall sealed the victory.
BW will return to Berea for an OAC game with Wilmington College on Saturday, Jan. 6, at 3 p.m. inside Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center.
