Women’s basketball team beats Defiance, 61-56, for ninth win of season

ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team beat Defiance (Ohio) College, 61-56, today in the second round of the Albion College Holiday Tournament in Albion. At the conclusion of the game, it was announced senior Chelsea Ciba (Olivet) and junior Stefanie Lang (Valparaiso, Ind.) were named to the all-tournament team.

Besides trailing for a brief 20-second period early in the first half, the Comets led for the entire game. In the first half, Olivet led by as many as 12 points, 24-12, with 11:21 left before the break when Lang canned a free throw to complete an old-fashioned three-point play. Olivet held a 40-29 lead at halftime.

In the second half, the Comets stretched their lead to 19 points, 50-31, at the 15:26 mark. The Yellowjackets slowly chipped away at their deficit and were down only three points, 55-52, with 2:50 left in the game. Defiance did not get any closer for the rest of the game.

Playing nearly every minute of the game, Ciba scored 20 points to lead the Comets. Lang had her 10th straight double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing a game-high 16 rebounds. Junior Carli Reid (Lansing/Waverly) contributed 10 points. Senior Kelsey Campbell (Olivet) finished with seven points and eight assists.

Kelsey Tietje led the Yellowjackets with 20 points and nine rebounds.

With today's win, the Comets improve their overall record to 9-2 record prior to a showdown next Saturday, Jan. 4, against Calvin College. Tip-off from The Cutler Event Center in Olivet is 3 p.m. Calvin and Olivet both enter the game with 2-1 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association records. Calvin has a 7-4 overall record.