TIGERS FALL IN OPENING ROUND OF CCAC TOURNAMENT

Bourbonnais, Ill. – It was a quick turnaround for these teams, coming off their game in McHie Arena on Saturday. This game would mirror the pace of play from their previous matchup, but the Tigers would struggle to hit their shots in the first half. Caroline Boehne (SO/Hoffman, Ill.) would win her matchup in the post to score seven points in the first quarter, but the team would trail by one going into the second. After a quick layup by Robert Morris, Zanna Myers (SO/Monticello, Ill.) would come back to hit a three to tie the game up at 21. The second quarter only saw a total of 26 points between the two teams, and Robert Morris would go into halftime with a three-point advantage.

The Tigers offense started hitting in the third quarter, scoring 30 points and matching their first-half total. Several members of the offense contributed, but it was Kayla Ross (SR/Elgin, Ill.) facilitating for her teammates, while also scoring four points of her own.

Robert Morris would take a four-point advantage into a fourth-quarter that brought a lot of drama. Robert Morris would lead by as much as 15 in this quarter, but the Tigers refused to go down without a fight. Karina Smits (SO/Pewaukee, Wis.) would hit a three-pointer to initiate a 10-point run for the Tigers, which was capped off by a Kayla Ross three. Following this, Robert Morris committed a technical foul, but this came after a touch foul by the Tigers. Therefore, two free throws were awarded to both teams, and the ball would go to the Tigers. This was a pivotal moment in the game, with only 18 seconds remaining. In the end, the Tigers would run out of time and lose 85 to 81.

GAME VITALS

Score: Olivet Nazarene – 81 | Robert Morris – 85

Records: Olivet Nazarene – 22-9 (18-4) | Robert Morris – 19-11 (14-8 CCAC)

Location: Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, Ill. | McHie Arena

STAT TRACKER

• Kayla Ross: 12 points, two rebounds, eight assists, two steals
• Sammy Stejskal (SR/Arlington Heights, Ill.): 15 points, four rebounds, one assist, two blocks, three steals
• Caroline Boehne: 10 points, seven rebounds, one block
• Zanna Myers: nine points, four rebounds, three steals

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers still have a chance for an at-large bid to the NAIA tournament, pending the outcome of the CCAC tournament.