KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College women's basketball team opened MIAA play Wednesday night with a 60-50 defeat of Olivet College at Anderson Athletic Center.
Sara English had a pair of three-point baskets in the first quarter as Kalamazoo took a 15-10 lead after ten minutes of action. The Hornets then clamped down on the Comets in the second quarter, holding the visitors to 1-10 shooting from the floor as they took a 23-15 lead heading into the half. Neither team shot the ball well in the first two quarters, with the Comets finishing 5-25 (20%) overall from the field and the Hornets 10-35 (28.6%).
The action warmed up in the third quarter, however, as a Kaytlyn Tidey three-pointer gave the Hornets a 30-17 lead with 6:45 remaining. Olivet managed to cut the lead to nine points on multiple occasions in the quarter but was unable to get any closer. A Kelsey Diekman layup with 4:57 remaining in the fourth stretched the advantage to 54-35 and gave the Hornets (2-3, 1-0 MIAA) a 19-point lead, their largest of the game.
Kaelyn Arlington continued her strong play to start the season, leading the team with 15 points and tying teammate Jackie Brines with a game-high 10 rebounds. Tidey shook off a scoreless first half to finish with 13 points and a team-leading five assists, and Laila Vincent made her presence felt by finishing with nine points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block.
Both teams showed much-improved second-half shooting, with K sinking 13 of 29 field goals (44.8%) and Olivet 14 of 29 (48.2%). Kalamazoo dominated the Comets on the boards, outrebounding the visitors 46-29.
K will continue conference play on Saturday, when it visits Alma for a 3 p.m. tipoff.