By: Athletic Communications Student Assistant Joe Meyer '24
BEREA, Ohio - The No. 10 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team faced Heidelberg University in Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center to open Ohio Athletic Conference play. The Yellow Jackets extended their unbeaten run to start the season with a 54-41 victory over the Student Princes.
BW (6-0, 1-0 OAC) was led by junior forward Sylvie Sonneman's (Jamestown/Greenview) career-high 15 points. Sophomore forward Bella Vaillant (Perrysburg) notched her third career double-double, recording 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets. Sophomore guard Emily Irwin (Pickerington/Pataskala Watkins Memorial) tallied nine points while senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC guard Megan Hensel (Upper Sandusky) added nine rebounds in the victory.
Heidelberg (1-5, 0-1 OAC) was led by sophomore guard Hallie Rogers' game-high 19 points and freshman guard Sequoia Bradley, as she added nine points and five rebounds.
FIRST HALF
- BW battled back from an early deficit with a 7-0 run to pull within one (12-11) with 2:55 to play in the first quarter.
- Bolstered by seven points in under two minutes from junior forward Kira Philpot (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls), the Yellow Jackets opened the second quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 23-16 lead.
- Junior guard Carolyn Wochele (Mentor) buried a three-pointer to extend the BW lead to double-digits (30-20) with 1:53 left in the half.
- The Yellow Jackets outscored Heidelberg 19-4 in the second quarter en route to a 32-20 halftime advantage.
SECOND HALF
- Sonneman's corner three gave the Yellow Jackets a 16-point lead (40-24) with 6:49 left in the third.
- Hensel finished on a fast break to put BW up 49-36 and force a Heidelberg timeout with 7:24 to play.
- The Yellow Jackets salted the game away from the charity stripe, shooting 84% from the line for the game, and hitting five-of-six free throws down the stretch.
- BW held Heidelberg to two field goals over the final 8:02 to close out the 54-41 victory.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday, December 3 when BW hosts Wilmington College in the second game of an OAC men's and women's doubleheader. Tip-off of the women's game is set for 4:00 p.m. in Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.
