Women’s basketball team opens MIAA play with 67-61 win at Kalamazoo

The Olivet College women's basketball team rallied from deficits in the first and second half to open Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play with a 67-61 win tonight against Kalamazoo College at the Anderson Athletic Center in Kalamazoo.

The Hornets led by as many as 10 points, 22-12, with 10:16 left in the first half. Olivet battled back with a 15-5 run to tie the game at 27-27 with just 1:08 remaining before halftime. After another tied score at 29-all, the Comets scored the final four points of the half to take a 33-29 lead into the locker rooms. Junior Stephanie Spehar (South Lyon) led all scorers with 13 points in the first 20 minutes. She made 5-of-6 baskets, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc.

Kalamazoo came back in the second and led for the first time, 44-43, at the 15:03 mark. The Hornets continued to lead until there was 7:23 left in the game when Olivet took the lead for good at 56-54. Two minutes later, the Comets had their biggest lead at 64-55.

Spehar finished the game with 17 points. Playing for the first time this season, junior Darcell Williams (Muskegon/Reeths-Puffer) scored 10 points. Junior Michelle Hein (Jackson/Napoleon) also had 10 points, including three 3-pointers. Senior Gabrielle Federau (Okemos) grabbed a team-leading seven rebounds. For the game, Olivet won the battle of the boards, 38-28, including a 17-6 margin on the offensive glass.

Kalamazoo was led by Lauren Rosenthal and Carly Zeitlin with 11 points apiece. Rosenthal pulled down seven rebounds.

Olivet will travel to play nationally-ranked foe Hope College tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. The Flying Dutch are ranked No. 1 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll and No. 3 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.