OBERLIN, Ohio – Points were difficult to come by Wednesday night, but the Kenyon College women's basketball team relied on its stingy defense to defeat the Oberlin College Yeowomen, 55-45, and put to rest a brief three-game losing streak.

The Ladies defense set the tone from the start, forcing the host Yeowomen to miss their first six shots and holding them scoreless for the first 5:16 of the contest. The Oberlin squad shot 22.2 percent (6-of-27) for the half, scored just eight points in the first quarter and only six more in the second quarter.

The Kenyon offense also struggled at the start, matching Oberlin's eight-point first quarter. Senior Paige Matijasich, however, got the Ladies turned around in the second quarter. She opened and closed the second stanza with three-pointers, scored eight points in the frame and pushed the Ladies into the half with a 23-14 lead.

Matijasich, who averaged 18.5 points per game, was not immune from the scoring drought. She added just four points the rest of the way, but did manage to contribute in other areas, especially in the rebounding department. She racked up a career-best 17 rebounds, while logging her eighth double-double of the season. She also had a block, two assists and five steals.

Overall, the Kenyon defense forced 17 Oberlin turnovers, while racking up ten steals and four blocks. Additionally, the Ladies held the Yeowomen to a 30.7 percent (17-of-56) shooting performance for the game.

Kenyon (7-12, 4-7 NCAC) moved ahead by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but Oberlin cut that lead down to five late in the quarter and then down to three points at the start of the fourth quarter.

Facing a one-possession game, the Ladies got back to work, starting with a three-point bomb from junior Ellie Schaub. Katie Orefice and Bridget Molnar than sank back-to-back jumpers that gave the Ladies a double-digit lead, once again. Oberlin never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Schaub ended up matching Matijasich's 12-point output, while Molnar rang up a season-high nine points to go along with five rebounds and a block.

Jasmine Sorrell scored 14 points and Cheyenne Arthur added 11 to pace Oberlin (7-11, 4-5 NCAC), which saw its win streak halted at three games.

In a bit of an odd twist, both head coaches were not present due to illness. The Ladies' win, however, is credited to Suzanne Helfant, who now has 400 career victories at Kenyon. Helfant, in her 25th season with the program, is 400-252. She previously coached at Marietta College for three seasons and has an overall coaching record of 434-295.

The Ladies remain on the road for their next contest, which will be Saturday afternoon at Wittenberg University.