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Ohio Wesleyan 65, Defiance 60 (12/28/2001)

Senior guard Michelle Wolfe (Gahanna/Lincoln) scored 5 points and senior post Katy Sturtz (Worthington/Columbus Watterson) added 4 during a 20-6 run that put the Bishops ahead to stay in first-round action at the Ohio Northern Invitational on Friday at Ohio Northern University in Ada.

Ohio Northern defeated Kenyon, 49-45, in the other first-round game. Ohio Wesleyan and Ohio Northern will play for the championship, while Kenyon and Defiance will meet in the consolation game on Saturday.

Mandy Eberle drilled a 3-pointer to give the Yellow Jackets a 10-9 lead with 16:41 left in the first half, but junior post Mindy Hammond (Columbus/DeSales) scored to put the Bishops ahead to stay before Wolfe followed with a 3-pointer and a lay-in in rapid succession.

Sturtz added a pair of lay-ins and senior guard Talia Brader (Westerville/Columbus DeSales) and freshman wing Kelly Heil (Sylvania/Southview) each sank a 3-pointers during the Bishop spurt.

Defiance closed to within 9 points on 2 occasions, but the Bishops were able to keep the Yellow Jackets at arm's length for the remainder of the half and took a 40-25 lead at intermission.

Ohio Wesleyan stretched the lead to 17 points on a jumper by junior post Mindy Hammond (Columbus/DeSales) early in the second half.

Defiance whittled the deficit down to 4 points on Jenny Pittson's jumper with 9:28 left in the game, which brought the Yellow Jackets within 50-46, but Defiance was able to get no closer.

Heil led the Bishops with 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Sturtz finished with 16 points and led the Bishops with 14 rebounds and 5 assists. Wolfe finished with 10 points.

Eberle led Defiance with 15 points, while Anna Fretz scored 12 points.