BEREA, Ohio – Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball recovered from a 16-point deficit to defeat Marietta College 77-73 in double overtime on Friday night. The win marks the team's fourth straight win against the Pioneers.
The Yellow Jackets (3-0, 3-0 OAC) improved their all-time record against the Pioneers (1-2, 1-2 OAC) to 57-19 overall. The victory also extended the overall team winning streak to 17 wins in a row, dating back to the streak starter on January 25, 2020 against Marietta.
Junior Lilly Edwards (Dublin/Coffman) delivered another vintage performance, recording a career-high 25 points as well as 13 rebounds over 30 minutes of action. Edwards picked up her eighth career double-double and second in three games, with her last coming in the season opener at the University of Mount Union. Freshman Sylvie Sonneman (Jamestown/Greenview) turned in a sterling performance during her collegiate debut, notching 14 points, one rebound and one steal to aid the offensive attack.
The first quarter proved to be a low scoring slugfest between both teams. The Yellow Jackets managed their lowest scoring quarter of the season with just five points, while Marietta managed just 12. Sonneman proved to be a bright spot for BW, notching three of those five points in her first collegiate quarter.
Scoring remained a challenge for the Yellow Jackets in second, with Marietta increasing the lead into double figures. The Yellow Jackets did not make a three-pointer in the first half, but Edwards got going in the paint, recording five points in the quarter.
After the lead ballooned to 16 points for the Pioneers at 40-24, the Yellow Jackets woke up in a big way. A Maighread Laliberte (Norway, Maine/Oxford Hills) three-pointer jumpstarted the offense, which immediately responded with a 12-1 run. Eight different players scored for the Yellow Jackets in the third quarter as BW outscored Marietta 25-15 to close the deficit to just three points.
An improper substitution by Marietta following a trip to the free throw line by Edwards resulted in a technical foul that allowed the Yellow Jackets to take the lead for the first time at 49-48. The Yellow Jackets led for just under four minutes before the two teams started trading basket-for-basket. After a three-pointer by Marietta's Olivia Gribble put the Pioneers up 64-62 with 31 seconds to go, Sonneman knocked down two clutch free throws to send it to overtime tied at 64-64.
A defensive struggle ensued in the first overtime, with both teams recording only one bucket, forcing a second overtime at 66-66. However, Edwards and Sonneman delivered nine of the final 11 points for the Yellow Jackets, as the defense held the Pioneers to a 25% shooting performance in the final period, sealing a victory for BW.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action on Saturday, January 30 the back end of the home-and-home series against Marietta College. The Yellow Jackets will tip off against the Pioneers at 6:00 p.m.
