St. Olaf College (MN) staved off a pesky Chapman University squad in Saturday's 5 p.m. game of the 29th Annual Redlands Tip-Off Classic, earning a 68-64 decision over the Panthers to remain perfect on the young season.
The Oles came out strong in the opening period, garnering a solid 10-point lead less than six minutes in to the contest.
However, similar to yesterday's performance, Chapman refused to go away and eventually tied it up at the 8:30-mark.
After the teams traded points, St. Olaf broke a 21-21 tie with a 10-2 run, highlighted by a pair of three-pointers by the Oles.
With a five-point cushion to start the second stanza, St. Olaf appeared in control, but the Panthers continued to fight, making it a one-point game on more than one occasion.
However, that was as close as they would get, leading to the Oles' 68-64 victory.
St. Olaf's freshman forward Nikki Frogner (Sandia, MN) impressed off the bench, knocking down 18 points and pulling in 11 rebounds to lead her team. Junior guard Kirstee Rotty (Farmington, MN) and junior guard Mackenzie Wolter (Norwood, MN) backed her with 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Chapman's sophomore guard Kimi Takaoka (Arcadia, CA) exploded for 24 points, which included a trio of three-pointers and a perfect 9-for-9 performance from the charity stripe. Junior guard Anne Yoshimura (Camarillo, CA) recorded a 4-for-5 showing for 10 points.
In the nightcap, Redlands' early-season woes continued with a flustered start to the game due to Trinity's high-pressure defense. The Tigers eventually put up a 14-point advantage while the Bulldogs tried to sort things out.
Up by nine after the first frame, Trinity maintained its lead through the final whistle.
Redlands coughed up 25 turnovers and shot 32.8% from the floor. Trinity also struggled with turnovers, tallying 19 of them, but the Bulldogs only gained 10 points from these opportunities.
Sophomore guard Nicolette Halbleib (Aurora, CO) lit up the scoreboard for Trinity, posting a game-high 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting. She also pulled in nine rebounds to rank first among her team.
Senior guard Mariah Barbetti-Cort (Ventura, CA) led the Bulldogs with 16 points and 13 rebounds to go along with four steals and three assists. Junior guard Ashley Sevilla (San Diego, CA) came off the bench for 12 points, hitting four long balls, and senior forward Courtney Carroll (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.
The 2011 Tip-Off Classic All-Tournament team included St. Olaf's Rotty and Frogner, Chapman's Takaoka, Trinity's Halbleib, and Redlands' Mariah Barbetti-Cort.
Redlands (0-2) strives to rebound when it hosts Gustavus Adolphus College (MN) on Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. in Currier Gym.