Women’s basketball team rallies but comes up short against Alma, 61-56

The Olivet College women's basketball team trimmed a 13-point second half deficit to one point, but still fell to Alma College, 61-56, tonight at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

The Scots built a 13-point lead, 28-15, with 6:06 left in the first half. Olivet cut their lead to eight points, 34-26, at intermission when sophomore Caitlin Thilo (Onondaga/Eaton Rapids) made a layup at the halftime buzzer. Alma, again, led by 13 points, 48-35, midway through the second half.

From that point, the Comets outscored the Scots, 19-7, to make the score, 55-54. The run was capped by back-to-back 3-pointers from Thilo and senior Vallen VanZyll (Lowell). Alma got a layup to push their lead back to three points, but a jumper from senior Emily Brown (Muskegon/Mona Shores) made it a one-point game. Olivet had a chance to take the lead or tie the game twice in the final 37 seconds of the game, but turned the ball over twice. The Scots scored their final four points from the free throw line.

Brown and junior Gabrielle Federau (Okemos) scored 12 points apiece for the Comets. Federau grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds, including six off the offensive glass, for her eighth double-double of the season. Thilo contributed 10 points. Freshman Stacey Szerlag (Brighton/Gabriel Richard) dished out a team-leading four assists.

Alma had a balanced scoring attack with Meagan Hoblet leading the way with 13 points. Cassie Kopke was next with nine points. Kathryn Bigelow had eight rebounds.

Olivet will travel to play Calvin College Saturday at 3 p.m.