Chritz, Walker Step Up in Close Contest with Owls

GAMBIER – The College of Wooster women's basketball team was on the verge of its first North Coast Athletic Conference win on Wednesday, but Kenyon College connected on its last shot with three seconds remaining to escape with a 67-65 win.

Wooster was led by career-high performances from first-year Mia Walker and junior Alyssa Chritz. Chritz recorded the double-double with 20 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, while Walker finished with 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting.

Chritz was just 2-for-4 from the floor but connected on 14-of-18 free throw attempts which became a Tomsich Arena record at Kenyon. Her 14 made free throws were third-best in program history and the most since 1998. Her 18 attempted were tied for second most.

Walker kept Wooster in the contest late, scoring 12 of Wooster's 15 fourth quarter points. However, Kenyon's Claudia Cooke hit the game-winning layup to cap a game-high 24-point night on 10-of-19 shooting.

Wooster shot 40 percent (19-of-47) from the floor compared to a 34 percent night (24-of-70) from Kenyon. Shalen Guilliams finished with a career-high 14 points of her own, and Ella Biondi scored six points, blocked six shots and grabbed 11 rebounds.

While Walker was the closer, Chritz was the opener with 16 points and nine rebounds in the first half. 

Wooster had one of its better starts to open the game as Chritz made a nice pass to a driving Guilliams and later made two free throws for an early 4-0 lead.

Walker matched a 3-pointer to make it 11-5 but back-to-back putbacks narrowed Wooster's lead to 11-9.

It was Chritz again who stepped up with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to five. Later Gulliams hit a contested 3-pointer to make it 18-11.

Chritz had 11 points in the first quarter alone after sinking a 3-pointer from well-behind the top of the arch as Wooster took a 23-16 lead after one.

After an even second quarter, Wooster led 37-30 at halftime.

Trouble came when Biondi recorded her third foul with 6:37 remaining in the third quarter. With her out, Kenyon went on an 8-0 run in less than two minutes to take its first lead at 43-42. 

Guilliams tied it at 44 on a layup to end a two-minute scoring drought, while Biondi returned to the floor with 1:44 left in the quarter with the Scots down three. Kenyon led 51-50 after three quarters. 

Walker buried a long two with six minutes remaining for Wooster to take a 55-53 lead. Kenyon answered with a 3-pointer, but Walker responded immediately with a baseline 3-pointer to retake a two-point lead.

Another Gulliams lay-up gave Wooster a 60-56 edge, but trouble came again for Wooster as Biondi committed her fourth foul with 3:06 left. One sub later, and Kenyon immediately scored on a 3-pointer for a 61-60 lead.

Biondi enter again with 1:19 left, while Walker scored twice to get the game to 64-64 with 38 seconds left. 

An over the back call got Biondi fouled out with 24 seconds remaining. Kenyon hit 1-of-2 free throws, while Walker did the same with 10 seconds left.

With the final possession, Cooke got a clean look at a layup to give Kenyon the win with three seconds remaining.

Kenyon moves to 5-8 and 1-2 in the NCAC. Wooster drops to 1-13 and 0-3 in conference play. Wooster hosts Wittenberg University on Saturday.