Dec. 6, 2006

BULLDOGS TRIPPED BY ST. MARY’S
Adrian dealt rare home loss to Belles

By Ed Patino
Sports Information Assistant

ADRIAN, Mich. – The ending wasn’t as good as the beginning for the Adrian College women’s basketball team.

Cold shooting in the second half proved costly for the Bulldogs in a 56-48 loss to the St. Mary’s Belles at the Merillat Center.

Adrian (3-2, 1-1 MIAA) was limited to just 28 percent shooting for the game, including 26 percent in the second half. After trailing at halftime, St. Mary’s (2-6, 1-1 MIAA) came alive, hitting 47 percent from the floor in the second half to grab control of the game.

Mary Lynn Carlson’s layup with 4:13 remaining staked the Belles to a nine-point lead, but Adrian fought back with a pair of free-throws by Nichole Roose and a layup by Ashley McClarren. With just under a minute left in the game, a pair of layups by Corri Helldobler pulled the Bulldogs to within 50-46. However, St. Mary’s tightened its defense and made six straight free throws in the final three seconds to take the win.

Things started well for the Bulldogs as they led throughout the first half. Jumpers by Jennifer Perrin and Jenny Carlson lifted Adrian to a 12-7 lead midway through the half. The Belles closed to within one on Bridget Lipke’s layup with 5:30 remaining , but Roose and Elysia Norris answered with consecutive baskets, restoring the five point lead.

Lipke hit a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left, tying the game at 22, but Anita Stamps sank a missile of her own before halftime, giving the Bulldogs a 25-22 lead at the break.

While Adrian’s shooting cooled off, the Belles used a 16-6 run in the first nine minutes of the second half to gain control. Alison Kessler’s jumper midway through the half gave St. Mary’s a 40-33 lead, but inside baskets from Kim Olech and Liz Hefeli pulled the Bulldogs to within three.

The Belles answered with six straight points, capped by Mary Lynn Carlson’s layup which made it 46-37 with just over four minutes remaining.

No one scored in double figures for Adrian. Helldobler led the way with eight points, four assists and three steals, while Stamps added seven points. Olech finished with six points and 13 rebounds and Priscilla Yeagley grabbed nine rebounds. Roose finished with six points for the Bulldogs.

Kessler scored 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and handed out seven assists to lead the Belles. Lipke added 14 points, while Erin Newsome had eight points and nine rebounds. Anna Kammrath grabbed seven rebounds and made three steals for St. Mary’s.

The Bulldogs will return to action Dec. 9 when they travel to Kalamazoo College. Adrian split the two meetings with the Hornets last year, with the visitors winning both times.