Women's basketball team comes up short against Tri-State, 69-64

Freshman guard Amy Brackenwagen (Grand Ledge) scored a career-high 16 points but it was not enough the Lady Comets' basketball team fell to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Tri-State (Ind.) University, 69-64, this evening at the Upton Center in Olivet.

Following a 9-9 tie at the 14:24 mark of the first half, Tri-State (6-11, 3-5 MIAA) went on a 10-3 run for its biggest lead of the half at 19-12. Olivet (7-9, 2-6 MIAA) then scored the next eight points of the game to take a one-point lead, 20-19, at the 4:20 mark. The Thunder fought back to force a 22-22 tie and then take a 24-22 lead with 56 seconds remaining. Brackenwagen swung the momentum back to Olivet by nailing a three-pointer for a 25-24 lead at halftime.

The Comets opened their biggest lead of the game, 37-28, in the first five minutes, 28 seconds of the second half. Tri-State again came storming back and tied the game at 43-43 with just over nine minutes left in the game. Over the next seven minutes, there were six ties with the last one being 61-61 at the 2:37 mark. The Thunder earned the win by outscoring the Comets, 8-3, in the final 2:37 of the game.

Joining Brackenwagen in double figures were sophomore Stephanie Smith (Camden/Waldron Frontier) and senior Emily Fix (New Buffalo/Comstock Park) with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Fix also had a team-high six assists and five steals. Senior Essence Porter (Battle Creek/Central) grabbed a game-high seven rebounds.

The Thunder was led by Mindy Tilford with 16 points. Kayla Cheesman contributed 12 points and Nikki Bergman chipped in with 10. Bergman also pulled down six rebounds.

The Comets will begin the second round of MIAA play Saturday, Jan. 22 when it hosts Kalamazoo College at 3 p.m.