ANGOLA, Ind.-- The Trine women's basketball team picked up a key MIAA victory Saturday afternoon in Hershey Hall, defeating Olivet 52-41.
The Thunder held the Comets to a 25.9 percent (15-of-58) effort from the floor, the lowest field goal percentage allowed by Trine all season. The 41 points allowed also marked a season-low for the Thunder. Hayley Martin (Auburn, Ind./DeKalb) notched her second-consecutive double-double, scoring 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting and adding 10 rebounds. Martin also blocked five shots, tied for the second-most in a game in program history. Dallas Austin scored 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds to pace Olivet.
Trine improved to 11-4 overall, 4-3 in the MIAA. Olivet fell to 8-8 overall, 4-3 in conference play. The victory pulls the Thunder into a three-way tie for third in the conference with the Comets and Adrian.
Due in large part to Martin's work, Trine held a 20-12 edge in points in the paint. The ability of the Thunder to get to the free throw line was a difference-maker, as the team knocked down 20-of-28 (71.4 percent) from the line. Olivet knocked down 67 percent (6-of-9) of its attempts. Trine entered the game as the 25th-best free throw shooting team in the nation.
Ashley Elliott (Scottsburg, Ind./Scottsburg) also reached double-figures for the Thunder, scoring 11 points. Elliott knocked down 3-of-7 from the field and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe.
The game featured nine ties and 13 lead changes before the deciding run began midway through the fourth quarter. A short jumper by Martin tied the score at 39-39 with 5:56 to play. A free throw by Elliott and a layup-and-one by Dawson gave the Thunder a four-point lead.
Austin's last bucket of the game cut the score to 43-41 with 3:37 to play, but the Thunder defense shut down the Comets from there. Olivet did not score the rest of the game, as the Trine defense forced an 0-of-5 effort from the field and three turnovers down the stretch.
A jumper from the short corner by Martin made it a four-point game. A pair of free throws by Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) and another layup by Martin pushed the score to 49-41 with 1:54 to play. From there, the Thunder were able to clinch the game defensively and at the free throw line.
Martin proved big in the second half, as she scored 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and swatted three shots in the final 20 minutes. The sophomore played 38 minutes on the night. She averaged 17 points, 10.5 rebounds and four blocks in a pair of wins this week.
Trine returns to action Wednesday with a road trip to Alma. The Thunder and Scots tip-off at 7:30 p.m.