Women's basketball team rallies past Carnegie Mellon, 55-51, in first round game of 2008 Comet Classic

The Olivet College women's basketball team overcame a 13-point deficit with 9:26 left in the game to beat Carnegie Mellon University, 55-51, in a first round game of the 2008 Comet Classic tonight inside The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Comets advance to play Ohio Wesleyan University in tomorrow's championship game at 3 p.m. OWU defeated Notre Dame College of Ohio, 86-78, in the other first round game.

The Tartans (1-3) scored the first 12 points of the game and never looked back in the first half, taking a 34-23 lead into the locker rooms. In the second half, Carnegie Mellon re-built a 13-point lead, 47-34, at the 9:26 mark.

Olivet (3-2) chipped away at its deficit and took its first lead, 50-49, with 1:56 left in regulation when sophomore Caitlin Thilo (Onondaga/ Eaton Rapids) made two free throws. The Tartans tied the game at 50-50 with a free throw. With 1:00 showing on the clock, junior Gabrielle Federau (Okemos) grabbed an offensive rebound and followed with a layup for a 52-50 Comet lead. Thilo hit 3-of-4 free throws in the final minute to seal the win.

The difference in the game was free throws, as Olivet made 15-of-26, while Carnegie Mellon made just 6-of-21. Thilo led the Comets with 12 points. Freshman Olivia Yarrell (Lansing/Sexton) was a spark off the bench with eight points, seven rebounds and three steals in 18 minutes. Federau also pulled down seven rebounds.

Rachelle Roll posted team-high honors in points (12) and rebounds (nine) to lead the Tartans. Corey Innes and Colleen Light contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Following tomorrow's game, the Comets will be idle until Wednesday, Dec. 10, when they travel to play Kalamazoo College for their Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener. Game time is 7:30 p.m.