Women’s basketball team rallies to beat Adrian, 58-49

ADRIAN, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team held Adrian College to two points in the final nine minutes of the game, and rallied to beat the Bulldogs, 58-49, this afternoon at the Merillat Fitness Center in Adrian.

Olivet led 6-0 before the Bulldogs came back with an 8-0 run to take an 8-6 lead. The Comets tied the game at 8-8 and neither team led by more than three points for the next 10 minutes. Olivet took a four-point lead, 22-18, with 3:33 left until halftime.

Adrian came back with a 5-0 run to regain the lead, 23-18. The Comets put the last seven points on the scoreboard of the first half, taking a 27-23 lead into the locker rooms.

The Bulldogs started the second half with an 18-6 run to take their largest lead of the game, 41-33. After another eight-point lead, 43-35, Olivet scored seven straight points to trail by only one, 43-42, at the 9:47 mark.

Adrian pushed its lead back to five points, 47-42, with 9:05 left in the game. Another 7-0 run for the Comets gave them the lead, 49-47, and they did not give up the lead for the rest of the game.

Offensively, Olivet made 21-of-52 baskets (40.4 percent) to 16-of-64 (25 percent) for the Bulldogs, who made one more 3-pointer. Both teams canned 13 free throws. The Comets had a 49-37 advantage in rebounding.

Sophomore Stefanie Lang (Valparaiso, Ind.) came off the bench to lead all scorers with 22 points. Junior Kelsey Campbell (Olivet) scored 10 and grabbed a team-leading six rebounds. Junior Chelsea Ciba (Olivet) finished with four points, three assists and five steals.

Lauren Rhoads was the only Adrian player in double figures with 16 points.

The Comets return to the court next Wednesday, Jan. 30, when they host Alma College at 6 p.m.