TIGERBALL SUFFERS A LOSS TO CLOSE OUT THE INDIANA TECH CLASSIC

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Olivet Nazarene University women's basketball team fell to the Warriors of Indiana Tech Saturday afternoon 96-76. Olivia Dirkse led the way for the Purple and Gold with a career-high 18 points off the bench, shooting 3-5 from beyond the arc, with three steals.

Indiana Tech got off to a hot start with 27 points in the first quarter. The home team shot 66.7% from the floor with 10 field goals made. The Tigers struggled early on shooting the three going 0-12. Dirkse provided five of the 15 first-quarter points for ONU and did not miss an attempt from the floor or from the line in the initial 10 minutes of the ball game.

The Tigers began to turn it on in the second quarter outscoring Indiana Tech 23-18. Dirske kept it going as she added seven points in the period. The Davison, Mich. native converted the first three-point basket for the visitors at the 8:42-mark. Bett O'Neal poured in six points after getting to the line a couple of times and converting 4-4 of her throws from the charity stripe. Her two free throws with 15 seconds remaining in the half cut the deficit to seven as Olivet trailed 45-38 at half.

IT pulled away out of the halftime locker room to score 33 points in the third quarter. Indiana shot a game-best 78.6% for the quarter with 11 baskets made and worked their way to the free throw line 11 times in which they converted nine of their tries. ONU struggled to keep pace shooting at a 22.8% clip and fell behind on the glass getting out-rebounded 11-4.

Caroline Boehne and Khendel Rolison fought to get ONU back into the contest combining for 11 of the Tigers' 25 points scored in the final quarter. As a team, Olivet outrebounded Indiana Tech 13-5 to close out the game but it was not enough to overcome the deficit built in the third quarter.

GAME VITALS

Final: Olivet Nazarene 96, Rochester 76

Records: Olivet Nazarene 1-2 | Rochester 4-1

Location: Schaefer Center | Fort Wayne, Ind. | Indiana Tech

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers open up CCAC play on the road when they visit the Wolves of Cardinal Stritch. Tip-off in Milwaukee Wis. is slated for 1 p.m. next Saturday, Nov. 12. Please visit onutigers.com for all the updated links to follow the action.

--ONU—

*Contact: Patrick Kaindl, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, pkaindl@olivet.edu