OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College women's basketball team fell to Indiana University South Bend, 69-53, today in the first day of the 2010 Olivet Thanksgiving Tournament at The Cutler Event Center in Olivet. The Comets will play Aquinas College tomorrow afternoon at 4 p.m.

In the first half, Olivet got behind by as many as seven points, 18-11, with 6:38 left before the break. The Comets closed the half with a 12-5 run to the tie the score at 23-23 at halftime.

Senior Kaitlin Oleksyn (Kalamazoo/Parchment) stole the inbounds pass to start the second half and scored a layup for Olivet's first lead of the game. After the teams traded baskets, the Comets took their largest leads of the game at five points, including 35-30, with 14:06 left in the game. Over the next nine and half minutes, the Titans held Olivet without a basket and went on a 31-1 scoring spurt to take a 61-36 lead at the 4:31 mark. The Comets scored the final eight points of the game to create the 16-point margin of defeat.

Junior Debbie Nikodemski (Rockford) led Olivet with 11 points, while Oleksyn contributed 10 points. Junior Alysia Cole (Roseville) scored nine points and grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

For IU South Bend, Katie Hacker led all scorers with 19 points, including 13 in the decisive 31-1 run. Lizzie Stapke and Ashley Hummer finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.