RICHMOND, Ind. – The Kenyon College women's basketball team opened the 2026 calendar year in dramatic fashion on Monday afternoon, escaping with a 48-47 road victory over Earlham College after sophomore Susannah Zimmerman buried a game-winning jumper at the buzzer.
In a contest defined by defense, rebounding, and grit, the Owls overcame a cold shooting night and multiple lead changes to secure their first win of the new year. Zimmerman's pull-up jumper near the charity stripe as time expired touched nothing but net, stunning the Quakers and sealing the one-point victory.
Neither team found an offensive rhythm early. Kenyon missed its first 15 attempts from the field, while Earlham scored the game's opening basket on a tip-in nearly two-minutes into the game. The Owls eventually broke through behind a three from senior Alyssa Gest and a tip-in from first-year Rae Oberster, but the first quarter ended with Earlham holding a slim 13-10 edge.
Kenyon began to settle in during the second period, fueled by defensive pressure and contributions from the bench. Gest knocked down a pair of three-pointers early to tie the game at 13-13, and moments later first-year Abby Burdette buried a triple to give the Owls their first lead of the afternoon. The Owls rattled off a 10-0 run midway through the quarter, capped by a transition layup from first-year Antonia Marzini and a three from sophomore Kiana Mollabashy, pushing the margin to 23-13. Earlham answered late, but Kenyon carried a 27-20 advantage into halftime behind strong rebounding and opportunistic defense.
The Quakers came out of the break aggressively, using a 7-0 spurt to tie the game at 27-27 less than two minutes into the third quarter. The lead changed hands multiple times throughout the period, with Earlham briefly moving ahead before Kenyon responded. Oberster knocked down a jumper at the 3:08 mark to even the score at 31-31, keeping the contest tight heading into the final quarter.
The fourth quarter was a grind from start to finish. Earlham struck first, but Kenyon answered with baskets from senior Anissa Hardy and Marzini to regain a narrow edge. A key moment came at the 4:45 mark, when Marzini drained a three-pointer to give the Owls a 43-39 lead. Earlham clawed back once again, eventually taking a 46-44 lead with just over two minutes remaining.
With the clock winding down, Kenyon stayed composed. After Earlham split a pair of free throws in the final seconds to go up 47–46, the Owls called timeout with three seconds left to advance the ball. On the final possession, Zimmerman triggered the play from the baseline and inbounded to sophomore Alyssa Horsley on the left wing. Zimmerman immediately sprinted into the frontcourt, took Horsley's handoff off a quick screen, and attacked downhill toward the charity stripe. With a defender closing hard to contest, Zimmerman buried the pull-up jumper as the horn sounded, delivering the Owls a 48-47 win.
Despite shooting just 27% (19-for-70) from the field, its lowest mark of the season, Kenyon found a way to win behind effort and depth. The Owls held Earlham to 33% (18-for-54) shooting and controlled the glass, finishing with a 49-41 rebounding advantage, including 23 offensive rebounds. Kenyon's bench played a decisive role, outscoring Earlham's reserves 23-7.
Marzini led the way with an efficient performance, shooting 5-for-6 from the field while pulling down a career-high nine rebounds, to go along with one assist, one steal, and one block. Gest added nine points, all from beyond the arc, while also tallying two rebounds, two assists, and a game-high three steals. Mollabashy and Oberster each finished with six points, with Mollabashy contributing five rebounds, a steal, and a block, and Oberster adding three rebounds and two assists.
The Owls now turn their attention to a full slate of conference play, beginning with a home matchup against newcomer John Carroll University on Saturday, January 10. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
