The University of Redlands women's basketball team collected its first win of the 2014-15 season with a thrilling 68-63 victory over Olivet College (MI) during Friday's action of the Tip-Off Classic in Currier Gym.
The Bulldogs battled with the Comets in a back-and-forth affair that included 11 ties and 10 lead-changes.
After facing an early deficit, the Maroon and Gray fought back to tie it up 16 with five minutes to go in a low-scoring first half. Senior guard Kaity Lykins (Simi Valley, CA) capped off this first rally with four consecutive points.
By the time the teams headed into the locker rooms, Redlands owned a 24-18 advantage. Senior forward Victoria Fakalata (East Palo Alto, CA) scored the Bulldogs' final four points of the first half to create quality momentum for the home team.
The teams continued to trade baskets throughout much of the second stanza, resulting in 44-44 tie with 4:21 remaining.
However, the Comets' Ayren Parrish led her team on an eight-point outburst, scoring six points to make it 52-48 game with just over two minute left in regulation.
Late in the game, Redlands' senior forward Nicole Packard (Thousand Oaks, CA) stepped up with a big free-throw, followed by a second-chance lay-up that led to a three-point play and a tie score at 52.
A last-second shot by senior guard Kameran Dage (Walnut Creek, CA) missed the mark, resulting in the extra period.
In overtime, Olivet gained a two-point lead on a Stephany Lang bucket, but senior guard Caitlin Ciardella (South San Francisco, CA) stepped up with a huge three-pointer for the Bulldogs, making it 62-61 with 27 ticks on the clock.
With the Comets forced to foul, Redlands converted all six of its free-throws in the waning seconds, resulting in the hard-fought 68-63 victory.
Dage led the Bulldogs with 14 points, including an 8-for-10 effort at the charity stripe. In addition to her 12 points, Lykins added a game-high 16 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, to go along with five steals.
Olivet out-shot the Maroon and Gray with a 41.8% effort, as compared to Redlands' 35.7% showing. However, the Bulldogs won the rebounding battled, 45 to 34. The home team also capitalized on turnovers, converting 29 points from them.
Redlands (1-2) faces off against Eastern Nazarene College (MA) in Saturday's 5 p.m. bout of the Tip-Off Classic in Currier Gym.
In the day's opening contest, Chapman University prevailed over Eastern Nazarene College (MA) by a score of 79-66.
After the sixth tied score of the game, the Panthers fired off a 10-point run to earn a 61-51 advantage with 11:07 to go in the game. Sydney Olivier and Jaime Hum-Nishikado combined efforts during this scoring spurt for Chapman.
The momentum stayed with the Panthers, who quickly made it a 14-point game just five minutes later.
Andrea Villanueva paced the Panthers with 15 points, nine of which came at the charity stripe. She also served as the top play-maker, registering eight assists in the win.
Natalia Ebrahimian chipped in 12 points on 6-for-11 shooting.
For ENC, Jordan Gray led the Lions with 14 points, while Courtney Houston dished out seven assists.
Continuing with the Tip-Off Classic, Chapman faces Olivet in tomorrow's contest at 3 p.m.