Jan. 6, 2007

BULLDOGS REBOUND, BEAT OLIVET
Freshmen stand tall in Adrian victory

By Ed Patino
Sports Information Assistant

ADRIAN, Mich. – After a pair of tough losses, the Adrian College women’s basketball team made a nice recovery.

Making big defensive stops when they had to, the Bulldogs held on for a 65-56 victory over the Olivet College Comets in a MIAA game at the Merillat Center.

Adrian (7-6, 2-4 MIAA) defeated the Comets for the fifth time in the last six meetings since 2004. Olivet (6-6, 3-2 MIAA) erased a 12-point deficit in the second half, but the Bulldogs closed the game with 10 straight points.

Jaime Kowalczyk scored a layup with 1:55 remaining, giving the Comets a 56-55 lead. After tying the game with a free throw, Ashley McClarren put Adrian in front to stay when she converted a traditional 3-point play with a minute remaining. The Bulldogs took advantage of a pair of technical fouls by Olivet as Liz Hafeli and Kim Olech combined to make six free throws in the final 23 seconds to seal the win.

The Bulldogs were held to 38 percent shooting for the game, but held a 41-34 advantage in rebounding.

“We had a lot of good looks but didn’t finish,” Adrian coach Kathy Morris said. “But I give our kids credit for getting in there and battling. We’re still learning as a team.”

The first half featured seven lead changes and four ties. Jenny Carlson hit a 3-pointer midway through the half, giving Adrian a 19-18 lead, but Audrey Graham answered with a missile of her own. Olivet held a one-point lead with just under three minutes remaining, but the Bulldogs came to life with an 8-0 run.

Consecutive layups by Elysia Norris an Alex Culbert gave Adrian a three point lead, then Nichole Roose hit a pair at the line. Culbert buried a jumper with 11 seconds left, giving the Bulldogs a 34-27 lead at halftime.

“I thought it was great composure on our kids’ part and a great job in finishing their plays,” Morris said. “Nichole, Lizzy and Elysia really shut down (Stephanie Smith) and that was a big difference.”

Adrian crept further ahead with a 7-0 run early in the second half. A layup by Roose and five points by Culbert gave the Bulldogs a 41-29 lead, their biggest of the day four minutes into the half, but Olivet answered with an 14-4 run over the next five minutes, capped by Erika VanderVeer’s layup with 8:45 remaining.

The Bulldogs twice built their lead back to five points, first on a 3-pointer by Hafeli and then on Olech’s layup, but Olivet fought back and grabbed a one-point lead on Kowalczyk’s layup with just under two minutes remaining.

McClarren hit 1-of-2 at the line seconds later, making it 56-56. The Bulldogs caught a break when the Comets threw the ball out of bounds, then McClarren converted her 3-point play with a minute left, giving Adrian the lead for good.

Roose finished with 11 points and six rebounds to lead the Bulldogs, while McClarren added 10 points and seven rebounds. Culbert had nine points and Olech grabbed 10 rebounds. Corri Helldobler handed out nine assists for Adrian.

“It’s nice to have that blend of upperclassmen and freshmen,” Morris said. “We can give two different looks on the floor and be successful at it.”

Graham finished with 26 points and nine rebounds to lead Olivet, while Kowalczyk added 13 points and six rebounds. Smith, who averages 12.5 points per game, was held to three points.

The Bulldogs will return to action Jan. 10 when they host Alma College. The Scots won both meetings with Adrian last season.