OBERLIN, Ohio - An offensive surge in the third quarter was enough to get Oberlin College women's basketball back into the game, but not enough to overturn the Wittenberg advantage as the Yeowomen fell to the Tigers, 57-51, on Saturday afternoon.

Trailing 30-23 at the half, the Crimson and Gold surrendered a 5-0 run to open the third frame. With the difference at 38-23 in favor of the Tigers, Oberlin fired back into the game to cut the deficit to one, 41-40, with 1:51 remaining in the period.

First-years Sarah Thompson, Jasmine Sorrells and Maggie Gross led Oberlin's third-quarter comeback as the Yeowomen composed a 17-4 run to cut the Wittenberg lead back to one. The trio of rookies combined for 11 of the Yeowomen's points during the run. Junior Briana Santiago accounted for the other six Oberlin points en route to an eight-point performance on 3-of-5 (60%) shooting with two boards and two assists.

Thompson finished with a career-high 10 points on 2-of-6 shooting, and a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Gross tied a career-high in scoring with four points from 2-of-4 from the field, while tallying two more career-marks with seven rebounds and four assists. Sorrells notched seven points on 2-of-4 shooting with four rebounds.

Aside Thompson was sophomore Olivia Canning who was the only other Yeowomen to finish in double-figures hitting 4-of-5 (80%) for 10 points to go along with eight rebounds, a steal and a rejection.

Oberlin opened the game by jumping out to a five-point lead just 3:33 into the bout, but the Tigers roared back in it with a 14-1 run in the next 4:16. The Yeowomen stopped the bleeding, but Wittenberg still held a five-point upper hand heading into the second quarter.

Halfway through the second, the Crimson and Gold managed to dial the deficit back to one, 21-20, but another surge from the Tigers from Springfield made the halftime score 30-23, Wittenberg.

Oberlin's big third quarter, guided by Santiago, Thompson, Gross and Sorrells, cut the Wittenberg lead to three heading into the closing period. The Yeowomen worked the Wittenberg advantage to one twice in the opening minute of the frame, but couldn't flip the lead in their favor. Down the stretch Wittenberg extended their lead to as much as seven, before closing the Saturday afternoon battle with a six-point margin.

Turnovers proved costly for the Oberlin women as the Tigers capitalized for 18 points off of Yeowomen giveaways. Oberlin finished with a season-high 26 miscues against Wittenberg, compared to just 14 Tiger cough-ups.

Wittenberg's Alex Kiess led all scorers with 18 (6-of-13; 46.1%), followed by Sydney Mayle who led all bench players with 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting.

The loss on Saturday drops the Yeowomen to 4-9 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Next up, the Yeowomen will travel to Gambier, Ohio and the campus of Kenyon College for a midweek, North Coast Athletic Conference battle with the Ladies.

Tip-off from inside the Kenyon College Athletic Center on Wednesday, January 11, is slated for 6 p.m., the first half of a women's-men's doubleheader. The Yeomen tip at 8 p.m.