ST. FRANCIS STUNS ONU WITH STRONG SECOND HALF, WINNING 91-77

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Olivet Nazarene University's (ONU) women's basketball team dropped a tough 91-77 decision to the University of St. Francis on Wednesday night in a crucial conference matchup. Both teams entered the game with unbeaten conference records, making it a high-stakes contest that ultimately tilted in favor of St. Francis.  

The Tigers started off strong in the first quarter, building a 21-14 lead behind Olivia Dirkse's 10 points. Khendel Rolison added 4 points, and the Tigers showed early success from beyond the arc, shooting 30% on three-pointers in the opening period. ONU's defense held St. Francis to just 31.3% shooting from the field, but the Tigers' offense also struggled with shooting accuracy, converting only 33.3% of their shots. Still, ONU led by 7 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, St. Francis started to find their rhythm, outscoring ONU 20-12. The Tigers' offense struggled, shooting just 17.6% from the field, and they couldn't find their range from three-point territory, hitting one of their seven attempts. Hattie Hagedorn provided a spark in the quarter, scoring 4 points. Despite their best efforts, the Tigers couldn't contain St. Francis's offensive attack, and at halftime, ONU's lead had shrunk to just 33-31.

The third quarter was when St. Francis made their move, outscoring ONU 29-25. The Tigers' offense began to find its rhythm again, but the sharp shooting of St. Francis—particularly from beyond the arc—was hard to overcome. Despite some individual efforts from the Tigers, including contributions from Dirkse and Rolison, the team's shooting remained inconsistent. Hagedorn kept battling, adding 3 points to bring her total to 7, but St. Francis capitalized on ONU's missed opportunities and turnovers. The Tigers found themselves struggling to keep pace, entering the final quarter with a 62-58 deficit.

In the final quarter, St. Francis pulled away, outscoring ONU 28-19. Despite a determined effort by the Tigers, they were unable to overcome turnovers and missed scoring opportunities. Hagedorn continued to fight, scoring 6 points in the period, but St. Francis capitalized on their depth and shooting efficiency, especially in the closing moments, to secure the 91-77 victory.

Looking Ahead

ONU will travel to Viterbo University for a conference game on December 14th at 12 p.m. CST. The Tigers will look to bounce back from this loss and regain their footing in the conference race.

--ONU—

*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu