Women's basketball team falls to Ohio Wesleyan, 97-75, in championship game of 2008 Comet Classic

Senior Lauren Fishwick (Trenton) scored a career-high 23 points, but the Olivet College women's basketball team fell to Ohio Wesleyan University, 97-75, in the championship game of the 2008 Comet Classic this afternoon at the Cutler Event Center in Olivet. For her efforts, Fishwick was named to the all-tournament team.

Olivet drained its first eight shots of the game to build a 19-15 lead. Included in the run were two three-pointers and jump shot by Fishwick. After the Comets led 23-20, Ohio Wesleyan scored 10 straight points to take a 30-23 lead with 8:58 left before halftime.

The Bishops had two more seven-point leads with the last time being 36-29. Olivet made three straight threes, two by Fishwick and one by freshman Stacey Szerlag (Brighton/Gabriel Richard), to take a 38-36 lead. Ohio Wesleyan answered with its own three-point basket to take a 39-38 lead, and then led, 41-38 at halftime.

The Bishops opened the second half with a 13-2 run to take a double digit lead, 51-40. Their lead stayed more than 10 points for the rest of the game and grew to as many as 23 points on two occasions in the final minute.

For the game, Olivet made 27-of-69 shots (39.1%), while Ohio Wesleyan hit 30-of-53 (56.6) baskets, including 15-of-25 from behind the three-point arc. The Comets out-rebounded the Battling Bishops, 40-28, with a decisive 21-6 advantage on the offensive glass.

Fishwick connected on 8 field goals, including four three-pointers and three free throws for her 23 points. Senior Vallen VanZyll (Lowell) joined her in double figures with 10 points. Off the bench, freshman Olivia Yarrell (Lansing/Sexton) scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds (seven offensive). Senior Sarah Mangold (Sterling Heights/Bishop Foley) also scored eight points.

Tyler Cordell paced Ohio Wesleyan with a game-high 25 points. Pam Quigney and Rachel Seibel added 16 and 14 points, respectively. Three different players each had four rebounds.

In the consolation game, Notre Dame College of Ohio defeated Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) University, 70-58. The rest of the all-tournament team was Rachelle Roll from Carnegie Mellon, Ashley Carney from Notre Dame, Cordell from Ohio Wesleyan, and the MVP was Quigney from Ohio Wesleyan.

Olivet is now idle until Wednesday, Dec. 10, when it travels to play Kalamazoo College for its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener. Game time is 7:30 p.m.