Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College women's basketball team earned a 66-52 win in front of a packed crowd at Philips Gym to open the 2018 NCAC Tournament.
 
The victory was the 100^th of Head Coach Kerry Jenkins' career and marked the Yeowomen's fifth-straight triumph over the Big Red.
 
Junior Alex Stipano led the Yeowomen charge with a career-high 30 points as she was 10-of-18 from the floor, which included a 6-of-12 showing from beyond the arc. Olivia Canning continued her torrid play against the Big Red as she poured in 18 points to go along with four blocks, while seniors Abby Andrews and Tyler Parlor each ripped down 10 rebounds in their final game on the Philips Gym floor.
 
It was a seesaw affair throughout the first quarter as the opening frame featured seven lead changes and three ties. Oberlin led 13-10 with just under two minutes to go, but the Big Red closed the session with a 6-0 run that was capped off by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Alison Schafer to make it a 16-13 Big Red advantage.
 
However, the second quarter was completely controlled by the Yeowomen as they made defensive adjustments and held the Big Red to four points in the period. A jumper from Ally Driscoll gave Oberlin a 20-18 lead with 3:25 left in the half and Oberlin would remain out in front for the rest of the game. The Yeowomen would also answer Schafer's buzzer-beater with one of their own as Driscoll beat the first-half horn to send Oberlin into the locker room with a 27-20 cushion.
 
After combining for just 18 points in the second quarter, the third quarter was a different story as there was 44 points added to the scoreboard in the frame. Back-to-back triple-hits from Stipano swelled the Yeowomen lead to 15 at 48-33 with 2:28 left in the quarter. The Big Red continued to answer bucket-for-bucket, but Oberlin still carried a 52-39 margin into the fourth quarter.
 
The Big Red continued to challenge the Yeowomen until the final whistle, but Oberlin was able to answer the call. Less than four minutes into the quarter the lead was down to nine, but Oberlin quickly pushed the gap back out to 14, 58-44, with 6:35 left to play.
 
Denison would once again get within nine, 59-50, with 3:30 still to expire, but Stipano answered with an old-fashioned 3-point play to put the momentum back on the Yeowomen's side. Oberlin, which had 11 blocks in the game, ultimately sealed the game on the defensive end, holding the Big Red to just two points the rest of the way.
 
The Yeowomen shot 42.4 percent (25-of-59) from the floor and held the Big Red to just a 29.2 percent (19-of-65) clip. OC also had a 47-35 edge on the glass.
 
The Yeowomen advanced to the NCAC Semifinals for the second year in a row and will take on the second-seeded Kenyon College Ladies on Friday in Greencastle, Indiana, on the campus of DePauw University. The Yeowomen and Ladies split the season series with each team winning on the other's home floor.