Franklin 82, Ohio Wesleyan 76
Carnegie Mellon 58, Olivet 56

Dec. 30, 2008

Junior guard Pam Quigney (Mentor) sank a pair of 3-pointers and junior post Kayla Gordon (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) scored 5 points during an 11-0 run that opened up a 9-point Ohio Wesleyan lead, but Franklin answered with a 10-0 run and held on to defeat the Bishops in the consolation game of the Bishop Classic/"Hoops for Hope" tournament on Wednesday at Branch Rickey Arena.

Carnegie Mellon edged Olivet in overtime in Wednesday's championship game.

Franklin had taken a 43-41 lead on a 3-pointer by Kasey Dollens with 17:33 left in regulation time.

Gordon started the Bishop run with a 3-point play, then hit a jumper before back-to-back 3-pointers by Quigney stretched the Bishop lead to 52-43 with 14:52 to play.

The Grizzlies came back with a lay-in from Brittney Wilson, a pair of 3-pointers by Monica Schwab, and a pair of free throws from Heather Harper to take the lead at 53-52 with 12:15 to go.

Ohio Wesleyan responded with a 3-point play by senior guard Rachel Seibel (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) for a 55-53 lead with 11:49 left.

The Bishops were still within 60-59 after a pair of free throws by junior guard Tyler Cordell (Columbus/St. Francis DeSales) when Franklin opened up its lead with 3-pointers from Schwab and Sarah Condra, and when Harper followed with a lay-in, the Grizzlies held a 71-63 lead with 5:34 remaining.

Gordon sank a lay-in to bring the Bishops within 77-73 with :36 left, but Dollens and Monica Planalp each hit a pair of free throws to restore Franklin's 8-point lead.

Ohio Wesleyan had one more charge, with Cordell sinking a 3-pointer with :12 left and Quigney stealing the ensuing inbounds pass, but Quigney's 3-point shot was off the mark with :08 to go.

Quigney led the Bishops with 17 points. Cordell followed with 13 points, led the Bishops with 9 rebounds, and shared the team lead with 5 assists. Gordon also scored 13 points, and sophomore post Dany Finck (Hilliard/Darby) finished with 12 points. Freshman guard Kandis Walker (Utica) also shared the team lead with 5 assists.

Harper led all players with 29 points, tying the tournament single-game scoring record set by Olivet's Olivia Yarrell on Tuesday, and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

Condra finished with 16 points; Schwab added 15 points, all coming from beyond the arc; and Donnels finished with 10 points. Wilson led all players with 8 assists.

In Wednesday's championship game, Olivet built a double-digit lead only to see Carnegie Mellon rally down the stretch, then escape with the win in overtime.

Olivet led, 15-14, when the Comets took off on a 13-3 run that included a 3-pointer, a lay-in, and a pair of free throws by Kaitlin Oleskyn and a pair of buckets by Yarrell. Yarrell's second basket gave the Comets a 28-17 lead with 2:34 left in the first half.

The Comets increased their lead to 40-25 on consecutive baskets by Oleskyn and Yarrell early in the second half, and pushed the margin to 50-34 on Stephanie Spehar's 3-pointer with 10:40 left in regulation time.

Olivet still led, 53-42, after a jumper from the lane by Kati Stickney with 7:20 on the clock, but the Comets would not score another basket in regulation time.

Carnegie Mellon chipped away at the deficit, getting a jumper and a pair of free throws from Brit Phillips, then closing to within 53-48 on a pair of free throws by Rachelle Roll with 4:03 remaining.

Nicole Vaccarella's fast-break lay-in made it a 53-50 game with 3:40 to go, and a pair of Roll free throws brought the Tartans within 53-52 with 2:09 left.

Olivet's Caitlin Thilo drew a foul with 1:56 on the clock and had a chance to end the Comet drought, but missed the front end of the one-and-one, and Carnegie Mellon took advantage with a pair of Roll free throws on the ensuing possession for a 54-53 Tartan lead with 1:13 to play.

Oleskyn was fouled with :30 left and missed the first free throw, but hit the second to tie the game at 54-54.

Both teams had a chance to end the game in regulation time. Phillips drove to the basket for Carnegie Mellon but missed with :04 left, and Oleskyn grabbed the rebound and called time out with :02.6 to play. Olivet inbounded from the end line but did not get off a shot, and the contest headed into overtime.

The Carnegie Mellon defense provided a lift in the early going of the extra session, blocking 4 Comet shots and forcing Olivet into three 30-second violations.

Olivet took the lead when Thilo drove the left side for a lay-in and was fouled, but missed the free throw and the Comets held a 56-54 lead with 1:26 to play.

Carnegie Mellon's Ali Aunkst responded with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Tartans the lead for good, and Phillips hit the first of 2 free throws to make it a 58-56 game with :38 remaining.

The Comets had a couple of chances to pull out the win, with Thilo misfiring on a 3-pointer with :12 left. Michelle Hein chased down the offensive rebound, but the ball was knocked free and eventually went out of bounds to Olivet with :01 on the clock. Olivet inbounded to Hein, whose potential game-winning 3-pointer from right in front of the Comet bench was off the rim.

Aunkst led all players with 23 points and Phillips finished with 14 points for Carnegie Mellon. Roll scored 7 points, all from the line, and snared 11 rebounds.

Oleskyn led Olivet with 13 points, Thilo scored 12 points, Stephanie Spehar had 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, and Yarrell scored 10 points.

Carnegie Mellon's Phillips was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Aunkst of Carnegie Mellon, Yarrell and Darcell Williams of Olivet, Harper of Franklin, and Gordon of Ohio Wesleyan.

Ohio Wesleyan-Franklin Box Score
Carnegie Mellon-Olivet Box Score