No lead is ever safe in sports, and the women’s basketball team found that out the hard way on Saturday afternoon. Their game against Hiram College turned out to be one of the most exciting in the recent history of the program, as the Ladies lost with two seconds remaining.
The Ladies dominated the first half, causing 18 Hiram turnovers that resulted in 20 points and a 10-point halftime lead for Kenyon. In the second half, the Terriers slowly chipped away at the deficit with good defense and timely shooting. Though Kenyon maintained the lead into the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the Ladies could not hold off a late Hiram rally that included an 8-0 run. Bailey Dominguez ’17 made a 3-pointer with just 12 seconds remaining in the contest that put the Ladies up by a point, but Hiram answered on the final possession of the game with a game-winning lay-up. This gave the Terriers a 62-61 victory, and handed the Ladies their third loss of the season.
“One of the biggest challenges we faced when playing Hiram was keeping their post out of the paint and limiting her touches on the ball,” Griffin Tullis ’18 said after the game. “But I think our team did a great job of sharing the ball.” Tullis made for seven of Kenyon’s 61 points and went 3-7 from the field.
“We felt their post players were very strong and that it was important for us to control the paint,” Head Coach Suzanne Helfant said of her team’s in-game strategy. “I thought we neutralized their leading scoring and did a great job doubling her and forcing her into difficult shots. And although we didn’t come out on top, we gave ourselves a chance to win. We just came up a bit short.”
Dominguez was Kenyon’s top scorer, contributing a game-high 21 points, including 15 from behind the three-point arc. The Ladies also received substantial contributions from Jessica Gerber ’19, who made her presence known with 17 points on 6-10 shooting. Ifeoma Archimalo ’18 also impressed, with six rebounds and four steals. These performances were not enough to seal the victory, however.
“So far this season, we have proved to be a pretty mentally tough team,” Tullis said before the Ladies’ contest against Allegheny College. “From challenges in practice to challenges in games, we have done a good job of bouncing back and playing just as hard. I think for our next game we will be even more motivated to win.”
Last night, the Ladies dropped another close game at home against Allegheny College. The Ladies got off to a slow start, and trailed the Gators 21-15 at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, both teams were much more dominant on the defensive end, with the Ladies and Gators combining for just 15 second-quarter points. Fortunately, the Ladies scored nine of those points, and the team entered the second half trailing by just three.
In the second half, the Ladies cut the deficit to just two points with a minute left in the game. With the ball in the Ladie’s possession, a bank shot by Dominguez rimmed out and a Gator secured the defensive rebound. That missed shot would prove critical, as the Ladies were not able to finish the comeback and lost 57-53. In the loss, Miranda Diesz ’17 led the Ladies with nine points, while Lane Davis ’19 led all players with 14 rebounds.
Kenyon (7-3) next plays on Dec. 19, when they travel to Cleveland to take on Case Western Reserve University.