for its Fourth Straight Victory
BEREA, OHIO - Junior forward Jenn Neal (Mentor) scored the game-winning bucket with 12.6 seconds remaining to give the Baldwin-Wallace College Yellow Jackets a 72-70 victory over Ohio Athletic Conference rival Otterbein College in the OAC opener for each team at the Rike Center in Westerville.
Neal scored 13 points and sophomore forward Michelle White (Hudson) added a team-high 15 points as B-W improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the OAC. With its loss, Otterbein fell to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in the OAC.
In the first half, B-W led by as many as nine points at 15-6 with 15:08 left before halftime when sophomore guard Steffani Jaworski (Parma/ Padua) made a three-pointer. Otterbein then outscored the Yellow Jackets 26-17 the rest of the way to tie the score at the half, 32-32.
In the second half, there were eight lead changes and six ties as neither team led by more than six points. Going into the final minute, the score was nodded at 67 when sophomore guard Kelly Williams (Canfield) drained a shot from beyond the arc with just 50 seconds remaining to give the Yellow Jackets a 70-67 lead. The Cardinals answered right back when junior guard Michelle Kenney hit a three-pointer of her own to tie the score at 70-all.
With less than 15 seconds remaining in the contest Neal received the ball in the lane and scored the game-winner. Otterbein had a chance to win with a three-pointer that missed.
In addition to White and Neal, freshman forward Cara Shiplett (Canal Fulton/ Northwest) scored eight points and was tied with White for a game-high of eight rebounds.
Otterbein was led by Keeney with a game-high16 points, senior center Danielle Holbrook with 15, junior guard Abbey Perez and freshman guard Sara Fee with 10 points each.
The Yellow Jacket women will next play on Saturday, December 11 when they host OAC-rival Muskingum College in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea at 3:00 p.m.
FOR MORE B-W SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact B-W Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327, by FAX machine at 440-826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu.
The BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE YELLOW JACKET women's basketball team travels to Westerville, Ohio to open 2004-2005 Ohio Athletic Conference play when it plays Otterbein College on Saturday, December 4, 2004 at 3:00 p.m. at the Rike Center.
RADIO -- All home and away Yellow Jacket women's basketball games are broadcast on campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM, and over the College Internet Web Site at www.bw.edu/athletics. The pregame show begins 15 minutes prior to tipoff.
BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE
LOCATION : Berea, Ohio
NICKNAME: Yellow Jackets
CONFERENCE: Ohio Athletic
2004-2005 Record: 3-1
2003-2004 RECORD: 23-4
LAST GAME: Beat Grove City (Pa.), 84-60, Dec. 1 in Berea
HEAD COACH: Cheri Harrer
B-W RECORD: 281-109
YEAR AT B-W: 15th
CAREER RECORD: same
LAST MEETING: Feb. 26, 2004 in Berea, OC won, 59-56, in OAC Trny.
SERIES STREAK: OC, one
SERIES BEGAN: 1974-1975
SERIES RECORD: B-W leads, 34-21
OTTERBEIN COLLEGE
LOCATION: Westerville, Ohio
NICKNAME: Cardinals
CONFERENCE: Ohio Athletic
2004-2005 Record: 1-3
2003-2004 RECORD: 23-5
LAST GAME: Lost to Rhodes (Tenn.), 86-83, on Dec. 1 in Memphis, Tenn.
HEAD COACH: Connie Richardson
OC RECORD: 174-161
YEAR AT OC: 14th
CAREER RECORD: same
The Pregame Notes -- The Baldwin-Wallace College women's basketball team will look to win its fourth straight game when it travels to Westerville to play Ohio Athletic Conference rival Otterbein College in the OAC opener for each school.
The Yellow Jackets have a 3-1 overall record. B-W opened the season by losing in overtime to Cleveland cross-town rival Case Western Reserve University (66-63) in the first round of the Greater Cleveland College Tip-Off Tournament on November 19. Since that game,B-W has won three straight contests as they have beaten Oberlin College (78-45) in the consolation game of the GCC tourney on November 20, beat traditional arch-rival Wittenberg University (72-62) in Springfield on Nov. 23 and topped Grove City College of Pennsylvania (84-60) this past Wednesday, December 1 in its home opener at the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea.
The Cardinals enter today's game with a 1-3 record following a split at the season-opening College of Mt. St. Joseph Tournament in Cincinnati and a pair of losses at the Rhodes (Tenn.) College Tournament. In its last game, the Cardinals were beaten by Rhodes, 86-83, on November 27.
The Baldwin-Wallace versus Otterbein All-Time Series Information -- The Baldwin-Wallace and Otterbein have played 55 times previously in women's basketball with the Yellow Jackets holding a 34-21 series advantage, but Otterbein won the last meeting, 59-56, in last year's OAC Tournament semi finals in Berea. B-W won two of three meetings a year ago. The series began in 1974-75 and B-W won the first-ever meeting, 50-49.
Scouting the Yellow Jackets -- Look for Yellow Jackets Head Coach Cheri Harrer to start 5'7" junior point guard Nikki Altenweg (Perry), 5'10" freshman guard Ashley Westenbarger (McComb), and 5'9" sophomore guard Michelle White (Hudson) on the perimeter. Look for 5'10" freshman forward Cara Shiplett (Canal Fulton/ Northwest), and 6'0" junior forward Jenn Neal (Mentor) to start at forward. After four games, Shiplett tops the team in scoring at 13.8 ppg., and rebounding with 6.5 rpg. She is also canning a team-leading 54.1 percent of her field goals (20-of-37). Altenweg is second on the team in scoring at 11.5 ppg. and also leads the team in assists with 22.
Off the bench, look for coach Harrer to play 6'0" junior forward Lindsay Mamula (Clinton/ Massillon Jackson),5'6" sophomore guard Steffani Jaworski (Parma/ Padua), 5'4" sophomore guard Kelly Williams (Canfield), 5'9" freshman forward Stacia Shrider (Marietta/ Warren Local), and 5'7" sophomore guard Kristin Matushevski (Hinckley/ Medina Highland). Thus far, Mamula is averaging 1.3 ppg. and 2.5 rebounds per game. Jaworski is third on the team in scoring at 10.5 ppg. and leads the team with six three-pointers.
Scouting The Otterbein Cardinals --Look for Otterbein Head Coach Connie Richardson to start four guards in, 5'7" junior Michelle Keeney, 5'8" junior Abby Perez, 5'9" freshman Abby Perez and 5'10" sophomore Janel Iden, and 5'11" senior center Danielle Holbrook. Off the bench look for Coach Richardson to play 5'8" freshman guard Amanda Fisher, 5'8" sernior guard Valerie Ruschau and 5'7" freshman center Chelsea Callif. Holbrook is one of the top players in the OAC averaging 16.5 ppg (tied for fourth in the OAC), 10.5 rpg (tied for first in the OAC) and is third in blocks in the OAC averaging 1.25 per game. Perez is 18th in the OAC in scoring at 10.5 ppg, ninth in assists, averaging 2.5 apg, and fourth in steals averaging 3.25 per contest. Fisher is fourth on the team in scoring at 8.0 ppg. and Iden is fifth in scoring at 5.5 ppg. Ruschau is a threat to score coming off the bench, averaging 8.3 ppg (third on the team) and addding 3.8 rpg. Callif is averaging 5.0 ppg and 3.0 rpg off the the bench as well.
THE LAST MEETING: On February 26, 2004 in Berea in the OAC Tournament: Otterbein -- 59, Baldwin-Wallace -- 56-- In the last game between B-W and Otterbein, the Cardinals upset the Yellow Jackets in the semi finals of the OAC Tournament, 59-56, at the Ursprung Gymnasium in Berea. The Cardinals were lead by now graduated guard Diana Esterkamp who scored 17 points and had five steals. In the first half, Otterbein built leads of 11-0 to start the game and 17-2 with 13:40 left before halftime when graduate Brianne Gray hit a three-pointer. B-W outscored Otterbein 22-7 to take their first lead at 24-22 with 4:55 left in the half when current junior guard Nikki Altenweg made two free throws. The scored was tied 31-31 at intermission. The Yellow Jackets held a two-point advantage, 53-51, with 5:06 to go in the game on two Kelly Williams free throws. However, the Cardinals scored their final eight points at the charity stripe to pull out the victory. Danielle Holbrook added 14 points and nine rebounds for Otterbein, while Williams scored a team and career-high 10 points for B-W.
In B-W's Last Game on December 1, 2004 versus Grove City (Pa.) in Berea: Baldwin-Wallace -- 84, Grove City -- 60 -- The Yellow Jackets won their third straight game on Wednesday when they defeated visiting Grove City College of Pennsylvania in their home opener at the Ursprung Gymnasium. Leading the way for the Yellow Jackets was sophomore guard Steffani Jaworski who scored 14 points in 16 minutes of action. Junior point guard Nikki Altenweg added 11 points and a game-high six assists to join her in double figures. Freshman forward Cara Shiplett also had a very strong performance scoring eight points and grabbing a game-high 10 boards. Grove City was led by Abby Moose who scored a game-high 19 points.
In Otterbein's Last Game on December 1 versus Rhodes College in Memphis: Rhodes-- 86, Otterbein-- 83-- The Lynx defeated the Cardinals, 86-83, to capture the Rhodes College Classic Tournament title on November 27 in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite having five players score in double figures and outscoring Rhodes in the second half, 42-37, Otterbein came up short. The Cardinals were led in scoring by senior center Danielle Holbrook who posted a double-double of 20 points and 10 boards. Joining Holbrook in double figures were Amanda Fisher (13), Chelsea Callif (10), Michelle Keeney (10) and Lauren Roman (12). Abbey Perez also added seven rebounds and six assists.
Yellow Jacket Chatter
The OAC and National Polls -- The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish third by the OAC Coaches during the OAC's annual preseason conference call with the media on November 3.
OAC Titles and NCAA Excellence --- Last winter, the Yellow Jacket women's basketball team won its fourth OAC regular season title in the last six years. B-W won OAC regular season and OAC Tournament titles in 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002. The Yellow Jackets have also advanced to the NCAA Division III National Tournament in seven of the last nine years, including in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 when it advanced to the "Elite Eight" each year.
Eight Straight 20-Win Seasons -- The Yellow Jackets have eight straight 20-win season. During that time span, B-W is 193-34 with an .850 winning percentage.
Cheri Harrer is the Winningest Women's Coach in B-W History -- Yellow Jacket veteran Head Coach Cheri Harrer is the winningest women's basketball coach in B-W history with 281 victories. Harrer is 281-109 in her career with a .721 winning percentage in 15 seasons at B-W.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, Please visit the Baldwin-Wallace Athletics website at www.bw.edu/athletics for up to date results and statistics. For further inquiries, please contact B-W SID Kevin Ruple by phone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. B-W Head Coach Cheri Harrer can be reached by phone at (440) 826-3299, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at charrer@bw.edu.
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