BEREA, Ohio – The Trine University women's basketball team went on the road Friday to Baldwin Wallace University and dropped their first game of the 2022-23 season 75-70 in a thrilling double overtime affair. The Yellow Jackets, entering the game ranked number 15 in the country by D3hoops.com, won the fourth quarter to overcome a nine-point deficit with less than seven minutes remaining to put themselves in a position to win.
Trine, ranked number eight in the preseason poll, falls to 1-1 overall, while Baldwin Wallace has won their season opener inside Ursprung Gymnasium.
Katie Sloneker grabbed an offensive rebound and distributed to Makayla Ardis to the game's first score just over one minute after tip-off. Katie Tate knocked down a jump shot on the next possession to go up 4-2 early. From there, it was a struggle to get the lid off the rim. Sophie Sloneker and Sam Underhill recorded baskets late to go up 11-7 at the conclusion of the first quarter.
A 16-8 advantage to start the second quarter gave the Yellow Jackets a lead at 23-19, but Sierra Hinds scored on consecutive possessions to cut into the lead. Abby Sanner had a basket a few moments later to get the game back to even at 25 all. Ardis found the bottom of the net with one minute and change remaining to give the team a slight lead at intermission.
The Thunder worked it inside with Underhill and Tate to begin the third quarter and after early success, Baldwin Wallace was able to contain Trine in the middle of the period. An and-one by Sidney Wagner seven minutes into the third gave the visitors some breathing room at 38-33. An Alyssa Argyle three-point field goal with just three seconds left extended the lead to eight at 41-33 heading into the fourth.
The Yellow Jackets put a dent in the Thunder lead early in the fourth, but a three by Hinds gave the team their largest lead of the game at 48-39 with 6:36 to go in regulation. An 11-1 run for the home team over the next four and a half minutes allowed Baldwin Wallace to reclaim the lead at 50-49.
After tacking on a free throw, Argyle stepped to the charity stripe with a chance to tie it up with less than one minute to go. She would convert to get back to even, but missed opportunities at the free throw line later on forced Trine to make a defensive stand to go to overtime. Baldwin Wallace missed an opportunity from long range and a turnover meant an extra five minutes on the clock.
That would not be enough, however, as clutch shooting from the Thunder allowed the game to continue. Down 59-55, Wagner found Hinds on a flare screen open for three and she hit to make it a one-point game with seven seconds on the clock. A foul and a pair of made free throws for the Yellow Jackets meant they could not allow a three, and they did just that. Hinds was open on the wing after a defender was out of position going for the pass from Wagner and the sophomore cashed in once again to go to a second overtime.
Sophie Sloneker free throws allowed Trine to keep pace in the second extra period, but back-to-back makes from deep under halfway with just over 60 seconds remaining put the Thunder in too deep of a hole. Wagner converted on two shots from deep, but on the other end of the floor, Baldwin Wallace was true on free throws to get to the 75-70 final score.
Trine shot better than the Yellow Jackets from the field by a slight margin, but just 27.3% (6-for-22) from three and 55.2% (16-of-29) from the free throw line made it difficult to put the game away for the Thunder. Hinds was once again the leading scorer at 17 points, with Underhill and Wagner reaching double digits with 10 apiece.
Up next for Trine is the Cameron Hospital Classic from the MTI Center on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19. First up is Edgewood University beginning at 7 p.m.