KALAMAZOO, MICH.-- Trine's women's basketball team was defeated by Kalamazoo 58-53 on the road Wednesday evening in MIAA action at the Anderson Center.
The Hornets outscored the Thunder 20-8 over the game's final 11:13 to earn the victory. Nicole Antoine paced Kalamazoo with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Kelsey Henselmeier (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) notched 17 points and eight rebounds for Trine. The Thunder fall to 4-13 overall and 1-7 in the MIAA. Kalamazoo is now 9-7 overall, 5-3 in the conference.
Alivia Recker (Arlington, Ohio/Arlington) scored 15 points for the Thunder. Kayla Dunn (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) added 11 points. Dunn has now scored in double-figures in three of her last four games.
India Hoskins added 11 points for Kalamazoo. Each team shot 33 percent from the field. The Hornets hit 18-of-22 free throws (82 percent) to 65 percent for Trine (11-of-17).
A 15-0 first half run by Trine helped the Thunder fight back from an early deficit and open up a 10-point lead. After falling behind 15-10, Trine heated up while holding KC scoreless for a five-minute stretch. Recker caught fire from the field with 10 points during the run, including a pair of threes. The second of those threes capped the run and made the score 25-15 with 7:15 remaining in the half.
The Hornets hit back with a 7-0 run later to pull within 30-27, but a jumper by Dunn halted the run and provided the 32-27 halftime margin. Dunn and Recker each scored 10 points in the first half.
An 8-0 Kalamazoo run gave the Hornets their first lead of the second half at 46-45 with 8:33 remaining. Recker answered with a baseline jumper, but Grace Smith gave the Hornets the lead again. A Dunn free throw knotted the score, while Hoskins gave KC the lead for good with a three to make it 51-48 with 5:11 on the clock.
A Henselmeier layup cut the score to 51-50. With 1:15 left, Antoine drew a foul and earned two extra free throws off a Trine technical. Antoine hit three of a possible four free throws to make it 54-50. The Thunder pulled within 55-53 on a Henselmeier jumper, but the Hornets closed out the game at the free throw line.
Trine will play the second of two-consecutive road games this Saturday, when they travel to Calvin. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.