University Heights, Ohio – The Oberlin College women's basketball team gutted out a 59-53 victory at John Carroll University on Saturday night.
 
Playing for the second time in as many nights, the Yeowomen put forth a much stronger effort to hold off a pesky Blue Streak team that held a four-point fourth-quarter lead.
 
A put-back layup from Tyler Collins tied the game at 46 with 5:46 left to play and 47 seconds later a pair of Olivia Canning free throws would put the Yeowomen out in front for the final time. A Sammy Spanier jumper from the near wing increased the Yeowomen lead out to 54-46 with just under three minutes to go. The Blue Streaks would snap a scoreless streak that lasted nearly four minutes with 2:50 remaining and would get within five points, 54-49, with 88 seconds still to expire. However, Oberlin would cash in four free throws down the stretch to preserve the win.
 
Canning, who was named to the all-tournament team, led the Yeowomen charge by posting her second double-double of the year with 17 points and 14 rebounds. The Sudbury, Massachusetts, native went 4-of-7 from the field and cashed in 9-of-12 free throws in the win. Sophomore Leo Ross dialed in on four triple-tries en route to posting a career-high 16 points, while Collins added eight points to accompany her 10 rebounds. Jasmine Sorrells chipped in with seven points – all from the free throw line – to go along with 11 boards and four blocks in 15 minutes of work off the bench.
 
It was nip and tuck throughout the early going as JCU led 10-8 after one period. Oberlin would claim its first lead of the game with 3:17 left in the opening half on back-to-back 3-pointers from Collins and Ross that gave the Yeowomen a 17-16 edge.
 
A pair of free throws from Sorrells would later tie it at 18 but the Blue Streaks would score four of the final five points of the frame to take a 22-19 lead into the locker room.
 
Oberlin was trailing 25-21 early in the third quarter but a three from Ross and left-handed layup from Canning briefly gave Oberlin the lead. With just under four minutes to go in the period, the duo would strike again for a seven-point burst to make it a 36-30 Yeowomen advantage. Oberlin built up a 39-32 cushion with 2:24 left on the clock but JCU would close the stanza on a 9-0 run to setup the Yeowomen's fourth-quarter comeback.
 
The Yeowmen, who scored 20 points each in both the third and fourth quarters, shot just 32.7 percent (16-of-49) from the floor but did enough damage at the charity stripe where they went 22-of-31 for a 71-percent success rate. Oberlin was able to overcome 26 turnovers by out-rebounding the Blue Streaks 49-34.
 
Nicole Heffington led JCU with 12 points and 15 rebounds in the loss that dropped her squad back to 1-1 on the year. Oberlin heads home at 2-1.

The Yeowomen will have a tough test on Tuesday night as they welcome No. 9 Trine University to Philips Gym for a 7:30 p.m. clash.