OBERLIN, Ohio – The Kenyon Ladies had to hold off Oberlin College in the fourth quarter on Wednesday night as they earned a 71-61 North Coast Athletic Conference victory at Philips Gymnasium. Kenyon improved to 13-3 and 6-1 in the conference and handed Oberlin its first NCAC loss of the season (8-5; 6-1 NCAC).
 
The Ladies' backcourt was dominant scoring 57 of the team's points. Paige Matijasich tallied a game-high 20 points while Jessica Gerber added 16. Additionally, Ellie Schaub scored a season-high 13 points and Sharon Hull added 8.
 
As a unit, Kenyon had a season-high 23 assists and hit 28-of-62 (45.2%) from the field. The Ladies also shot 45.5 percent from three-point land (10-22).
 
Well before a pressure-packed fourth quarter, Kenyon had to weather a fast start by Oberlin.
 
A Gerber jumper at the 4:56 mark had Kenyon trailing 9-8, but the Yeowomen followed with a 6-0 stretch which was started on an Abby Andrews jumper.  The Ladies were able to shake off the seven-point deficit on their next four possessions as they scored each time including a trio of three-balls from Matijasich and Schaub moving the scoreboard to 19-17 Kenyon.
 
In the second, Kenyon held a 26-25 advantage before pulling ahead by double digits. A 12-2 run from 3:45 to 36 seconds left pushed the visitors up 38-27. Gerber scored six of those points on a pair of three-point makes. By halftime, the Ladies led 38-30.
 
Oberlin scored the first bucket after the break, bringing the score to 38-32.  However, that was the closest they'd get in the period. Kenyon led by as many as 15 points on three different occasions with its last coming at 2:45 after a Schaub layup (55-40).
 
At the start of the fourth, Lane Davis converted a layup pushing Kenyon ahead 57-40, its biggest lead. However, over the next 4:42, the Yeowomen fought back with a massive 17-2 run. Alex Stipano buried four 3-pointers, Oberlin's first makes from downtown in the game, and got the score to 59-57 with 4:29 left. In that span, the Ladies shot 1-for-5 and turned it over three times.
 
Holding on to a two-point lead, Kenyon got a much-needed three-ball from Gerber after a pair of offensive rebounds on its next possession. After forcing an Oberlin miss on the other end, Matijasich nailed a three-pointer moving Kenyon back up eight, 65-57. Oberlin never threatened again.
 
After playing on the road the last five games, Kenyon will return to Tomsich Arena on Saturday, January 13 for a 2 p.m. conference contest against Hiram College.