ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University women's basketball team moved back into a tie for second-place in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) standings following a 66-47 triumph against The University of Olivet. The Thunder and Calvin University are now tied in the league standings with one game left in the regular season.
Trine advances to 17-7 overall and 11-4 in league action while Olivet is 9-15 and 6-9. The defense was key for the Thunder in the win as they held the Comets to 27.4% (17-for-62) from the field and 16.0% (4-for-25) from three. Olivet did outrebound Trine 56-42, but a 24-9 difference in the turnover battle doomed the visitors.
Sidney Wagner was the only individual in double figures with 19 points. She added a team-high four steals to her line as well. Allie Walther had a quality day off the bench with eight points. Katie Tate secured a team-best seven rebounds and Sierra Hinds dished out three assists.
Following the final buzzer, the team's lone senior in Chelsi Giesige was honored. She received the start in the game and scored the team's first points with a layup more than two minutes into the contest. After Olivet hung close in the opening minutes, the Thunder would go on a 13-2 run to close the first quarter and extend the lead to 19-7. Allison Capouch buried a three-point field goal just before the period came to an end.
A 7-2 run to start the second quarter helped build the advantage even farther at 26-9. An and-one by Tate highlighted the early minutes for Trine. Walther, Hinds and Wagner each were able to connect from beyond the arc late in the period to go up 39-21 at the break.
Jada Rhonehouse scored four points to open the second half, but the final nine points in the third belonged to the Comets as they creeped their way back into the game. A three-ball by Erin Sherwood with just over two minutes remaining in the quarter would be the last time the Thunder put up points in the frame.
Olivet closed the gap to as little as 51-37 after a three in the first minute of action, but back-to-back makes by Wagner increased the lead back to 19 with a made jump shot and a three. Alexis Snodgrass and Anna Grim helped put the game away with late scores in the 66-47 win.
The Thunder will travel to Kalamazoo College for their final game of the 2023-24 regular season on Saturday, February 17. Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m.