Women’s basketball team loses to No. 4 Hope, 76-55

HOLLAND, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team battled Hope College for three of the four quarters, but the Flying Dutch outscored the Comets in the third quarter to pull away for a 76-55 win this evening at the DeVos Fieldhouse in Holland.

Hope, ranked No. 4 in both the D3hoops.com and Women's Basketball Coaches Association Top 25 polls, led 7-5 at the 6:07 mark of the first quarter. Olivet scored the next five points to take a 10-7 lead. The Comets continued to hold the lead and led by as many as seven points twice, with the last time being 20-13, at the end of the opening quarter.

Olivet extended its lead to eight points, 23-15, after senior Jackie Harwood drained a three-pointer with 8:22 left in the second period. The Flying Dutch fought back and tied the game at 26-26 and 28-28. Junior Jillian Nickels made a three-pointer to put the Comets ahead 31-28 at the 3:11. Olivet did not score a point for the rest of the quarter, and Hope scored the final four points for a 32-31 advantage at halftime.

The Flying Dutch made 6-of-12 baskets and 8-of-12 free throws in the third quarter to outscore the Comets, 22-5, to take a 54-36 lead into the final quarter. Olivet closed to within 17 points twice in the fourth quarter; however, it was not enough to overcome the deficit to start it.

Junior Katie McKinnon was the only Comet in double figures, as she scored 11 points. Harwood and Nickels each scored eight points. Senior Shauni Hankins grabbed a team-best eight rebounds to go along with three assists.

Maura McAfee posted a double-double, 29 points and 13 rebounds, to lead Hope. Elizabeth Perkins and Mandy Traversa finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively.

Olivet welcomes the Albion College Britons to The Cutler Event Center Saturday for a 3 p.m. game.