By: Athletic Communications Student Assistant Joe Meyer '24
BEREA, Ohio - The No. 8 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team rode a stellar defensive performance to a 47-37 victory over Heidelberg University in an Ohio Athletic Conference contest inside Heidelberg's Seiberling Gymnasium.
BW (17-1, 10-1 OAC) was led by sophomore forward Caely Ressler's (Napoleon) game-high 11 points and five rebounds. Sophomore forward Bella Vaillant (Perrysburg) scored seven of her 10 points in the first half and added five rebounds. Senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC guard Megan Hensel (Upper Sandusky) added five rebounds of her own and connected on two key three-pointers in the third quarter that sparked the Yellow Jackets' second-half push.
Heidelberg (2-16, 0-11 OAC) was led by sophomore guard Hallie Rogers, as she recorded a team-high nine points for the Student Princes. On the boards, sophomore forward Morgan Altenburger led all players with a game-high eight rebounds.
First Half
- Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm and the Student Princes took a 10-8 lead into the second quarter.
- Back-to-back layups from Ressler and junior forward Sylvie Sonneman (Jamestown/Greenview) gave BW a 15-14 lead with 4:08 left in the half.
- Despite forcing 10 turnovers and holding Heidelberg to a 34% clip from the field in the first half, the Yellow Jackets trailed by one (20-19) at the break.
Second Half
- Out of the half, Hensel connected on back-to-back three pointers to give BW a 27-23 lead.
- BW outscored Heidelberg 16-11 in the third quarter to take a 35-31 lead entering the final ten minutes.
- The Yellow Jackets held Heidelberg scoreless over the first 4:46 of the fourth quarter, and Ressler extended the lead to 41-33 on a deep three-pointer with just over five minutes to play.
- Ressler went 4-of-4 from the line in the final minute as the Yellow Jackets closed out a gritty 47-37 victory.
- The Yellow Jackets limited Heidelberg to just 6 fourth-quarter points, forcing 6 turnovers and holding the Student Princes to a 23% clip from the field in the final frame.
- 37 points is the fewest BW has allowed in its past 22 OAC contests.
The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday, January 28 as they host Marietta College in the second game of a men's and women's OAC doubleheader. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center.
