Women’s basketball team upsets Calvin, 77-73

Comets beat Knights for first time since 2001

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team upset Calvin College, 77-73, this afternoon in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) contest at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Comets beat the Knights for the first time since Jan. 27, 2001 and only the seventh time in the 72-game history between the two schools.

In today's game, Olivet scored the first six points on two layups by junior Carli Reid (Lansing/Waverly) and a layup by senior Heather Lauwers (Ortonville/Brandon). The Comets slowly built their lead to as many as 15 points, 31-16, at the 5:32 mark when sophomore Dallas Austin (St. Johns) made a jumper. Calvin trimmed its deficit to 11 points three times before trailing by 15 points, 41-26, at halftime.

The Knights opened the second half with a 20-8 to cut the Olivet lead down to three points, 49-46. The teams traded baskets until the Comets were able to stretch their lead back to double digits, 60-48, just past the midway point of the half when senior Chelsea Ciba (Olivet) made a free throw to complete a three-point play.

Calvin came back and was down only one point, 66-65, with 4:07 left in the game. Olivet came back with a free throw by Lauwers and basket from junior Stefanie Lang (Valparaiso, Ind.) to extend its lead back to four points, 69-65. A layup for the Knights made the score 69-67. Lang drained a pair of free throws and Senior Kelsey Campbell(Olivet) split two tosses from the charity stripe to push the Comets' lead to five points, 72-67.

Breanna Verkaik made a three-pointer to make the score 72-70. With 36.1 seconds left, Campbell passed the ball to Lang on an in-bounds play. Lang made the basket and a free throw to stretch Olivet's lead back to five points, 75-70. Kristin Tripp cut the Knights' deficit back to two points on a three-pointer.

Ciba was fouled and made a free throw to make the score 76-73 with 11 seconds remaining in the game. The Comets forced Calvin to turn the ball over. As a result, Ciba split two free throws for the final margin.

For the game, Olivet shot 52.9 percent (27-of-51) from the floor to 40.3 percent (29-of-72) for the Knights. The difference in the game was the Comets made 10 more free throws, 20-10, and out-rebounded Calvin, 40-32.

Reid was one of four Olivet players in double figures, scoring a game-high 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting.  Ciba finished with 14 points, three assists and three steals. Playing all 40 minutes, Lauwers posted a double-double, 13 points and 11 rebounds. Lang also scored 13 points. Austin grabbed eight rebounds. Campbell scored seven points and dished out a game-high 10 assists.

Tripp led Calvin with 19 points. Verkaik added 15 while Kayla Engelhard had 12.

The Comets (10-2, 3-1 MIAA) continue league play next Wednesday, Jan. 8, when they travel to play Kalamazoo College at 6 p.m.