Women’s basketball: Lang eclipses 1,000 career points in 83-57 loss to Hope

OLIVET, Mich. – Senior Stefanie Lang became the fifth player in school history to score 1,000 points but the Olivet College women's basketball team fell to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) co-leader Hope College, 83-57, tonight at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

Lang made a layup with 16:20 left in the second half to give her 1,000 points. A short time later, she made another layup to push her into fourth-place on the all-time Comet scoring list. Lang finished the game with 18 points to sit at 1,008 career points and needs only 19 points to move into third-place on the scoring ladder.

There were three lead changes in the early stages of the game. The Comets led 8-7 after Lang converted an offensive rebound into a second-chance basket with 14:50 left in the first half. The Flying Dutch scored seven straight points to make the score 14-8. Lang made her fourth basket of the opening half and Olivet trailed 14-10.

Hope responded with a 12-2 scoring spurt to go up 26-12. The Comets came back with a 7-2 run to cut their deficit to single digits, 28-19. The Flying Dutch answered by taking their largest lead of the game at halftime, 42-23.

In the second half, Hope led by 18 points, 54-36, at the 13:51 mark. Olivet scored 11 of the next 13 points to climb back into the game and were only down nine points, 56-47. The Flying Dutch netted the next basket and their lead stayed in double figures for the rest of the game.

After being down by 19 points at halftime, the Comets out-scored Hope by three points, 34-31, in the second half behind 40 percent shooting. Olivet out-rebounded the Flying Dutch, 43-41.

Lang had 14 rebounds to go along with 18 points for her 11th double-double of the season. Junior Shauni Hankins came off the bench to score 13 points. Senior Carli Reid scored 11 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for her second double-double in the last three games. Making her first collegiate start, freshman Ayren Parrish finished with 10 points.

The Flying Dutch were led by Maura McAfee's 20 points and 10 rebounds. Rebekah Llorens and Brittany Berry contributed 13 and 10 points, respectively. 

The Comets return to action Saturday afternoon when they travel to play Adrian College. Tip-off at the Merillat Sport & Fitness Center is 3 p.m.