OLIVET, Mich. - When the Belles could not get quality shots to fall, host Olivet had the upper hand in getting baskets in response as the Saint Mary's basketball team fell in an 81-48 conference game against the Comets on Wednesday night.

 

The Comets scored on their first possession of the contest, but the Belles came right back with a layup by Athena Samson and a three-pointer by Maddie Rzepka to go up 5-2 less than a minute into play. The score remained unchanged for the next minute until Olivet made a free throw. Saint Mary's again had the answer with an offensive rebound and put-back layup by Samson for a 7-3 advantage with 7:29 on the clock. The Comets countered with the next eight points to gain an 11-7 lead midway through the first period. Christina Shadid got the Belles back on track with a good mid-range jumper to make it a two-point game with 4:35 remaining. The Comets hit a shot on their next possession, and Anne Goralczyk buried a mid-range jumper of her own moments later after a defensive stop to make it a 13-11 game with three minutes to go. Both sides hit a scoreless stretch for the next two minutes of play before Olivet used a second-chance bucket to gain a 15-11 lead with over a minute left on the clock. Neither side got a shot to fall over the final minute, and Olivet held the 15-11 lead through ten minutes of play.

 

The Comets used a free throw and a bucket to gain an 18-11 edge, but Maddie Rzepka dialed one in from long distance to make it a four-point game at 18-14. Lauren Gumma added a three-pointer of her own a short while later to pull the Belles within a point at 18-17 with 6:18 still to go in the quarter. Olivet hit a three-pointer of their own on their next possession, but Nikki Murphy came right back with a three from the corner to again edge Saint Mary's within a point at 21-20. Murphy then hit a runner in the lane after making a good cut to the bucket to put the Belles ahead 22-21 with under five minutes as the Comets called a timeout. Olivet then used a seven-point spurt over the next two minutes of action to go up 28-22. Gumma broke up the run with a free throw, and Anne Goralcyzk connected on her second good jumper of the game with under a minute to go to make it 30-25. The Comets, however, got two late baskets to carry a 34-25 lead into the halftime break.

 

The home side opened the third period with a layup and a three-pointer for a 39-25 advantage. Athena Samson responded by cleaning up the offensive glass and hitting the put-back layup again to make it a 39-27 game. Olivet used a jumper on their next chance and added another bucket a minute later for a 43-27 lead. Julia Schutz sunk both ends of a trip to the charity stripe, Lauren Gumma hit another three-pointer, and Athena Samson added a layup; but the Belles were unable to string consecutive baskets together to go on a much-needed run as the Comets maintained their double-digit lead. Rzepka and Murphy each added a free throw late in the quarter only to see Olivet hold a 50-36 lead heading into the final quarter.

 

Athena Samson and Elle Deardorff each hit early shots for the Belles in the fourth quarter. The  Comets, however, used an 18-5 run over the opening five minutes of the period to build a 68-41 lead. Maddie Rzepka connected on a three-pointer, and Alyssa Matuza finished a strong drive to the bucket with a layup, but the Comets continued to score in spurts while the Belles could not put together a scoring run. Nyah Porter sunk her two free throws late as the Belles shouldered the 81-48 decision.

 

Olivet had a 63-42 advantage in rebounds over Saint Mary's and outscored the Belles 21-4 in second-chance points and 46-14 in points in the paint.

 

Maddie Rzepka and Athena Samson each had 10 points to pace the Belles while Rzepka came away with six rebounds and Samson added eight. Lauren Gumma posted seven points and two steals with a blocked shot. Nikki Murphy tallied six points, five assists, and three boards. Anne Goralczyk chipped in four points with two rebounds. Elle Deardorff notched three points, and Julia Schutz, Nyah Porter, Alyssa Matuza, and Christina Shadid each had two points. Schutz led the team with nine rebounds and added two steals. 

 

The Belles (7-16, 4-10 MIAA) are back on their home hardwood on Saturday when they host Albion at 3:00 p.m. The members of the senior class will be recognized at approximately 2:45 p.m.