Oilers Hold Off Storm, Win 71-69
The University of Findlay women's basketball team captured a 71-69 win over Lake Erie College on Thursday, January 12 in Painesville, Ohio. The victory gives the Oilers a 10-5 record on the season with a 4-4 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
The Oilers held a 61-60 advantage with 6:10 to play in the game and would not score again until the 3:11 mark when junior forward Tai Dotson converted a lay-up. Thankfully, the Oilers defense held the Storm scoreless during that time span.
Leading 63-60, Dotson split a pair of free throws to push the Oilers lead to four with 2:32 remaining before the Storm got a couple from the charity stripe for their first points in over four minutes.
Clinging to a 64-62 lead, sophomore guard Saira House converted a traditional three-point play with 1:21 left to give Findlay a 67-62 lead. Sophomore forward Kaleigh Kenny and junior guard Kendra Elam then hit a pair of free throws each down the stretch to give the Oilers their tenth straight win over Lake Erie.
The Oilers shot 48 percent (24-of-50) from the floor and drilled 7-of-16 (43.8%) shots from three point range in the win.
Dotson led the team with a career-high 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting while junior forward Kayla Brown had 12 points and five boards.
Kenny added ten points on 3-of-5 shooting while sophomore guard Ashley Andrews and Elam each chipped in seven points apiece.
Senior forward Kaitlyn Nelson only scored one point in the game, but had seven rebounds and four blocks. Her four blocks gives her 159 for her career, breaking the school record of 158, which was set by Kelly Carder (1996-99).
Cate Cianchetti, a former Oilers player, led the Storm with 15 points and six assists.
The Oilers will hit the road again on Saturday to face Wayne State University at 1 pm in Detroit, Michigan.