Women’s basketball team ends regular season with 79-75 loss at Kalamazoo

The Olivet College women's basketball team ended the 2005-06 regular season with a 79-75 loss today at Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Kalamazoo College.

The Hornets (7-16, 4-12 MIAA) went up by as many as 13 points, 33-20, at the 4:52 mark of the first half. The Comets (12-13, 8-8 MIAA) closed the first half with a 15-2 run to tie the game at halftime. Junior Stephanie Smith (Waldron/Camden Frontier) made a three-pointer to cap the run with 1:22 left in the half.

Olivet led for the last time in the game at the 17:59 mark of the second half. Kalamazoo extended its lead to 11 points with just under nine minutes left in the game. The Comets cut their deficit to one point on two occasions.

Junior Audrey Graham (Battle Creek/Lakeview) scored a game-high 23 points to lead Olivet. She made 10-of-12 baskets, including three-of-three from behind the arc. Junior Jennifer O'Neil (Auburn Hills/Avondale) contributed 18 points, while Smith added 14. O'Neil and sophomore Jaime Kowalczyk (Wyandotte/Roosevelt) grabbed five rebounds each.

Stefanie Salasky posted a double-double, 19 points and 11 rebounds, for the Hornets. Mary Brown chipped in with 14 points, followed by Kelsea Howell and Therese Demres with 14 and 11 points, respectively.

The Comets are next in action Tuesday, Feb. 21, when they travel to play Albion College in the first round of the 2006 MIAA Tournament. Albion is No. 4 seed, while Olivet is the No. 5 seed. Tip-off from Kresge Gym is 7:30 p.m.