NEW CONCORD, OHIO  –  Junior wing Jessica Carpenter (North Canton/Hoover) scored 13 points as the Baldwin-Wallace College women's basketball team defeated the Muskingum University, 58-55, today (Saturday, February 4 2012) in an Ohio Athletic Conference game in New Concord.  The Yellow Jackets have won five games in a row.

With its victory, B-W improves to 14-7 overall and 9-5 in the OAC and swept the season series from the Fighting Muskies. With its loss, Muskingum dropped to 8-13 overall and 3-11 in the OAC and have now dropped two straight.

In addition to Carpenter for the Yellow Jackets, junior point guard Rachel Rossman (Olmsted Falls) had nine points, seven assists and three steals.  Junior center Nancy Coulter (Washington Court House/ Miami Trace) and sophomore forward Lexi Rohrbach (Tiffin/ Columbian) shared team rebounding honors with six each. The Fighting Muskies were led in scoring by senior forward Hannah Nelson with 23 points, senior guard Carissa Bosch had 13 and senior center Amanda Dobbins had a game-high 12 rebounds.

Muskingum opened scoring at the 17:25 mark on a jumper by Dobbins.  B-W came right back at 16:04 when freshmen guard Audrey Smolik (Strongsville) made a jump shot.  The Yellow Jackets took their first lead of the game at 3-2, when Rohrbach went one-of-two from the charity stripe at the 14:48 mark.  

The Yellow Jackets sparked a 5-0 run, capped by a Rossman jumper at 13:19 to make the score 8-4.  The Fighting Muskies responded on a layup by Dobbins to cut the lead down to 8-6 at 12:58.  B-W quickly responded by increasing its lead to six points at 12-6 when Rossman drove to hole for a layup at 12:21.

The Yellow Jackets outscored Muskingum 9-5, including a 7-0 run, to lead 21-11 at 9:47 when sophomore backup center Natalia Simovic (Seven Hills/Normandy) made a layup.  Muskingum responded with a 6-0 run of its own to cut the lead to a two-possession game at 21-17. The run was capped by a layup by Suzanne Nichols with 7:56 remaining in the half.

After B-W gained a 27-19 lead, the Fighting Muskies came within two points at 27-25 with a 6-0 run to close out the first half. That run was capped by a layup by Bosch.  

In the second half, Muskingum opened the scoring at the 19:41 mark on a layup by Nelson to tie the game at 27-27.  B-W went on a 4-0 run with baskets from sophomore guard Jessica Lairson (Louisville/ Senior) and Carpenter to make the score 35-31 in favor of the Yellow Jackets.

The Fighting Muskies battled back to tie the game at 37-37 on a  layup by Bosch with 13:02 remaining.  The Yellow Jackets quickly regained the lead with a 7-0 run that ended on a layup by Carpenter at 10:58 to make the score 44-37.

B-W outscored Muskingum 11-10 and with 4:37 remaining, the Jackets had a 55-47 lead that was highlighted by points from Coulter and Simovic.  Undaunted, the Fighting Muskies answered by going on a 7-0 run of their own to make the score 55-54 with 2:24 left when Dobbins made a a jumper.

Simovic extended the Yellow Jacket lead to 57-54 with a layup at 1:24, but Bosch made one of two charity tosses with 55 seconds to bring Muskingum within two at 57-55. When Bosch missed the second of the two shots, Muskingum grabbed the rebound and had two more chances to tie or win, but could not make a hot. Carpenter ended the scoring by making one of two foul shots with nine seconds left for a 58-55 lead. Again, Muskingum had another chance to tie, but a three-pointer with five seconds left was off of its mark and the offensive rebound and putback also misfired.

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 8 when they travel to University Heights to play OAC and Greater Cleveland cross-town rival John Carroll University in the Tny DeCarlo Varsity Cenyter at 7:30 p.m.  The next home game is on Wednesday, Feb. 15 against the University of Mount Union in the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium in the Lou Higgins Center at 7:30 p.m.  Fans can listen to all men's and wmen's games live on campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM, or via the internet at www.wbwc.com.

Media and fans are reminded that the B-W will televise its men's and women's basketball doubleheader versus Ohio Northern University on Saturday, Feb. 18 on SportsTime Ohio. B-W has broadcast more of its athletics events on regional cable TV than any other Division III school, including its men's and women's doubleheader versus Wilmington College on January 28. Media and fans can view many of its past Yellow Jacket telecasts on its web site at www.bw.edu/athletics/video/.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.